Black is Our World
by IcyPanther
Summary: DHr The war is over with Voldemort the winner. Nearly everyone has been captured or killed and hope now lies in a brave few. In a battle of light versus darkness, there can only be one victor. But that doesn't mean the victor wins. No one wins in war.
1. Dark Beginnings

**Disclaimer: I own no rights to Harry Potter. I do not intend to ever take credit for the characters or plot or anything that the genius Rowling made.**

**3/26/05- **Yes, as you can see, I'm putting the fic back up. As some of you may have noticed, it was deleted due to '_explicit content.' _Truthfully, I don't think any of my scenes were that bad and I even had warnings at the top. So now that I'm reposting, I've got some new things to tell.

First, I'm getting rid of all scenes that are '_explicit.'_ This would mainly be the rape scene in chapter two. But on my Yahoo Group (Icys_Corner) I will be posting the real chapter and you may read it there if you like.

Second, here's my warnings. If you don't like, then don't read and don't report.

There will be rape- although the major scenes will be not on this site but on my own. In this chapter there is some molesting, but I don't think it's anything none of us have never seen in a lemon fic, ne?

Character death is also in this story, and I don't mean just the 'bad guys'. Some of our favorite characters die as well, so if you don't like that then please don't read. Other than that, just your average dose of Rated M violence and swearing, but nothing you haven't seen before.

Now shall we proceed?

xxx

**Black is Our World**

**Dark Beginnings**

Cold...hungry…hurt... My eyes roved around the dark space and took in the horrific scene no one was ever supposed to ever have eyes laid on, yet we got the pleasure of seeing every day for the past two months...maybe three...I don't know anymore.

Huge metal cells, barred over and over with locks that no hairpin could ever pick were set in the barracks where we lived. Rats nestled in the damp stone walls, scrounging our food when they had the chance, in an attempt to save their own pitiful lives. Wet, musty hay was thrown on the dirt floors as our bedding, a hole in the floor in the corner our bathroom.

Underfed, ragged, and beaten people filled the cells, all of them near my age; all of us destined to rot and die in this vile place. Gingerly, my right hand strayed up to my face, lightly touching the bruise I had received that day from the guards. Dark blue fading to a light purple covered my cheek, the angry reds swirling in the mix.

"You alright there, Mione?" called the gentle voice of Ron from the cell across the hall, his hands wrapped around the grimy silver poles that kept us caged.

A passing guard stormed up to the cell and clouted Ron through the bars, the red head flying backwards and crashing into the wall, a trickle of blood leaking down his temple. "Quiet!" yelled the man, a hood hiding his face from view. "You know you're not supposed to talk!"

He stormed off down the hall, black robes swishing out behind him, his step in long, confident strides, having the knowledge that he was above all of us. I gazed longingly after the guard, wishing that I too could walk freely around, no fear in my heart.

But then my concern turned towards Ron who still hadn't moved from his spot on the floor. Ginny, her once vibrant red hair now dark and in thick tangles that cascaded down her back in a knotted mess, was shaking her brother by the shoulder, whispering quietly for him to wake up.

We were all rewarded a few desperate minutes later with a small moan from Ron and then the opening of his bright azure eyes, though laced with pain still showed compassion and love. "Shhh, Ginny, I'm all right, I'm all right," he murmured, holding her in his arms and rubbing small circles on her back. "It's okay, no need to cry."

The littlest red head sniffled but then pulled out of Ron's embrace, running a dirty hand across her face, smearing the dirt even more that had mingled with the tears. "I know...but I still get scared, Ron."

"We all do, Ginny," said the older brother comfortingly, giving his only sister a small smile. "We just have to pretend that we aren't here, that we're someplace with Mum and Dad and are happy. Whenever they try to get to you Gin, just go to that secret place in your mind, okay?"

"Okay," she said softly. "I'll try."

"Good girl," he said, "That's my sister."

I went to the back of my shared cell, away from the toilet, and slid down the wall until I was next to Fred. "How are you holding up?" he asked, tucking a stray hair that had fallen over my face behind my ear.

"As good as can be expected I suppose. It all just seems so real," I said softly, resting my head against my adoptive big brother's shoulder. "I never thought it would turn out like this."

"None of us did," he said running a hand through his dirty hair. "But all we can do is hold out and hope someone from the Order wasn't captured. Waiting really is all we can do."

"All we're doing is waiting for our death," said Pansy, lying on her back and staring up at the stone ceiling. "As soon as they've had enough of us, we're just going to be killed…unless we die from these conditions first."

"Don't say that," I chided, looking at the Slytherin girl. "We have to have hope. We've all been in tough situations before, and we'll get through this one."

"For what?" asked the dark brown haired girl, rising to stare at me. "The whole world has been taken over, Granger. Surely you must know that, being the smartest witch that will ever have gone to Hogwarts."

"But we have to believe," I protested. "Out there, people are still fighting and although thousands are dying each day, they are taking out the Death Eaters."

"Yeah, like one hundred muggles to one Death Eater a day," she said sarcastically, "We're really going to pull through. The war has already happened and Potter blew his chance-" I clamped a hand over the girl's mouth.

"Don't you dare speak about Harry like that. Do you think he wanted this to happen?" I hissed, my brown eyes sparkling with a hint of anger. "He did the best he could Pansy, and that's all we can ask of him."

"Fine," the girl said, removing my hand. "But that doesn't mean I still have to act all happy like nothing is wrong."

"Would you two please stop fighting? I don't like it when we argue," spoke up the timid, chocolate haired Hufflepuff.

"Hannah's right," said George, who was sitting next to the girl. "Fighting won't help anything. Now both of you apologize to each other." I glanced at my Slytherin cellmate, a neutral expression on my face.

"I'm sorry, Pansy."

"Sorry, Granger."

"I thought I said no talking," growled the guard who had come back.

Immediately, we all clammed up, our eyes focused on the food he was holding. One wrong movement of look could earn us no dinner, and seeing as only two meager meals a day made up our eating habits, we had had to get that food.

"You're finally learning, aren't you?" he chuckled, tossing one of the bags in my cell and one in Ron's. "Enjoy," he smirked, walking off back down the hall to probably a better meal. But I guess I should be thankful we even got food.

Opening the bag I peered inside and snorted with disgust. Five, slightly rotten apples were in the bottom, brown dots covering them and the juice oozing out in some places. "Catch," I said, throwing one to each of the people in my cell.

Ron did the same with their group's apples; one to Ginny, Lavender, Neville, and himself. I went back to the front of the cell and craned my neck to try to see the other two cells with their occupants.

On the cell across the way next to Ron's, I could make out a familiar black haired head, leaning dejectedly against the far wall, all hope lost. His once bright emerald eyes had dulled, the light and energy gone.

Inside the cell next to us was Draco Malfoy, who would ever have thought? I had never expected him to be on Dumbledore's side, nor Pansy either. Both came from pureblood families, were Slytherins and seemed the most evil of any of the green and silver schoolmates I had known. But here they were, locked up in Voldemort's stronghold with the rest of us.

Harry and Draco were the most dangerous of our ragtag group, each posing as a threat to Voldemort. Harry; the only wizard who would be able to beat him. The valiant brave Gryffindor who never backed down and lost a challenge, until now. Draco Malfoy; son of his right hand man, Lucius Malfoy. Sly and cunning with both tongue and action to back up his word, Malfoy was not one to be crossed.

Both had been put in separate cells, forbidden food, except enough to keep them from dying, and even the small luxury of the stinky, smelly hay. It had at least it helped keep some of the dampness from the floor from soaking into our bones.

We'd all tried to communicate with them, but Harry had just told us to leave him alone and Malfoy had plain ignored us. Even Pansy had tried, begging Malfoy to speak to her but he would not utter a single word.

I sighed and moved back to my spot next to Fred, his arm wrapping around me to offer warmth. I snuggled up to him and gazed up at his face. His mouth was set in a thin stubborn line, his normally cheerful brown eyes hard and cold. He looked so... serious, an expression very odd to see on either of the Weasley twins.

The loud grating of a lock jumped me out of my thoughts as a Death Eater entered our cell. Instantly, George was off his seat on the wall and running for the man, a chance for escape possible. Unfortunately, the man held a wand and pointed it at him, preparing to fire.

A stunning spell shot off the end of the wand, hitting George before he even got close enough to touch the guard, and he flew back, lying face down on the ground. Ginny screamed when she had seen her brother get hit, expecting the worst, and the guard had turned to face her in the other cell.

Ron quickly covered her mouth, trying to prevent her from getting in any trouble with the guards. They weren't known to be the friendliest of people. The black robed man moved over and, without a word, wrenched me up by my hair and started dragging me towards the open door of the cell.

But for some reason, I didn't want to leave the cell right now. It was like a safe haven, the place where you were sure that you couldn't be hurt badly, the place with people who cared about you. I felt Fred grab on to my arm and attempt to pull me backwards, Pansy helping him as Hannah sat in fright on the floor.

But the guard gave one final pull on my head, my scalp feeling like it was going to be ripped off, and pulled me through the door, slamming and locking it behind us. He then proceeded to drag me down the hall, kicking and screaming towards a large open room that I had never seen before. In the middle sat a small wooden table with baskets of rolls, fresh fruit, and other numerous treats I hadn't seen since our capture. The guard let go of my hair and gestured to the table. "Won't you sit down?"

Hesitantly, I slid into one of the straight-backed chairs and eyed the man up and down. "Who are you?" I blurted out, before clamping a hand over my own mouth. I shouldn't be so disrespectful to those higher then us and the ones who decided if we would live or die. We were at their mercy and it wouldn't help to go and make them angry.

He chuckled, drawing back his hood to reveal shiny, clean, black hair, the strands pulled back into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck. "You may call me Marlin. Now, won't you have something to eat?" he queried, gesturing at the bountiful amount of food.

Readily, my hand went out and snatched a roll off the platter. I was raising it to my lips when the thought that it might be poisoned hit me. I glanced over at me dinner companion who was sipping blood red wine from a golden goblet, his eyes watching me like a hawk.

"Actually, I'm not very hungry," I said, placing the roll, now with a bit of dirt on its crusty outer layer, back on the plate.

"Not hungry? My but your appearance says otherwise. Are you sure you wouldn't care for a delicious red apple?" he asked, holding out the round, plump fruit.

"Quite," I said firmly, not trusting him in the least. When I was younger I had watched Disney movies, and in Snow White, the girl took a bite of an apple that the witch offered her and fell into a deep sleep. I don't think I'll fall asleep, but something far worse could happen.

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, his eyes boring into me. "Then if you don't want to eat, I'll be asking you a few questions. What's your name?"

"Hermione Granger," I said confidently. I honestly have no idea why they just asked me that since everyone clearly knows my name. I mean, Lavender and I are the only muggleborns here and the guards like to make that fact painfully aware.

"Do you know why you are here? With me?" he asked, his eyes black eyes gleaming.

"Because you wanted to ask me some questions," I said. "And Marlin, by chance, were those foods dipped in veritaserum?" I asked, my voice honey sweet like I was talking to a child. I'd had a growing suspicion that they'd do something…after all, Death Eaters don't offer us such good food without a reason.

His hand connected with my face before I even had time to register it had left the wine glass. I tumbled out of the chair, landing on the hard floor, my hand reaching automatically for my stinging cheek, this time the left one.

He stood over me, towering above, a sinister smile on his face. "It is not wise to ask questions, Mudblood," he spat. "I'll be doing the asking around here. Now," he said, leaning down so his face was mere inches from my own, my hair cascading around my head like a halo on the ground, "Where is Albus Dumbledore?"

Like I knew that? Of course Dumbledore would probably be at Grimmauld, but Marlin would never get that answer. While he had been talking, I had been sucking furiously at the inside of my mouth, finally happy with my amount of saliva to spit.

"Well?" he asked, his voice growing colder. "Speak, Girl!" My answer? A gooey glob of spit running down his cheek. I quickly rolled backwards to get away from him and sprang to my feet, making a mad dash for the door. There was really nowhere I could run, but if I could get back to the cells I'm sure my friends would try and help.

He must have seen my escape route, and being much stronger, taller, and faster, I felt something, or someone, collide into me, driving my face hard against the floor, blood spurting from my nose.

Marlin got off of me, wrenching me up by my hair. "I take it you're not going to answer, are you, Mudblood?" he said, his eyes holding cold fury and an angry lust. When he got no response from me, he growled and dragged me across the room, my feet digging uselessly into the stone mortar.

He managed to get me over to a far wall where a set of manacles dangled from the wall, which he thrust my hands into and then locked. My feet barely scraped the floor, almost all of my weight was being held up by my wrists, and I can't say that was very pleasant.

"If you won't give us the information willingly, I'll have to make you give it to me," he hissed, his breath tickling my ear in an unpleasant way. I glanced over my shoulder as he went back to the dining table, returning with a knife from the meal.

I shuddered and drew in a shaky breath as he held it out in front of him, the keen blade pointing straight at my back, the torchlight throwing a distorted glare over the metal. I heard the audible swish of a knife but felt nothing slice into my tender skin. The only thing I did hear was the ripping of cloth and then his hands pulling the cut material away from my body.

I blushed an angry red when I felt the clasps of my bra undoing, and vainly I struggled, trying to kick him and make him stop. But with a sudden jerk, the last article of clothing on my top half fell to the floor, cut in dozens of places.

His hands roamed to my front, cupping each breast tenderly. The sudden applied pressure to the given area made me gasp, as he squeezed each one. "Stop it," I whimpered, a tear forming in my eye, the blush having been replaced with a white mask of fear. "Please stop..."

"But don't you like this, Mudblood?" he said, trailing kisses down my open neck. "Because I know I do." His hands trailed farther down my front, kneading into my stomach and traveling still farther.

"No…please don't," I whispered, my breath hitching in my throat and allowing the single tear to gently caress my cheek.

He turned my head, so I was looking deep into his eyes, and then he leaned forward and kissed me, biting on my lip. I moaned beneath his touch, not from desire but from the need to pull away.

When his tongue entered my mouth, I took my chance and bit the intruding item, my teeth sinking deep into the flesh, the taste of blood filling my mouth. As soon as he felt the pain, he quickly pulled out, tapping his thumb to his tongue and wincing.

Then, with a fierce growl, he captured my lips against his, kissing me with the ferocity of a wild animal. My head slammed against the wall, his mouth hungrily seeking my own.

Moments later, he pulled away, satisfied. "Are you sure you do not wish to talk, Mudblood?" Marlin asked, straightening his rumpled robes and tying back his hair neatly.

I nodded my head, afraid of even opening his mouth lest he put his tongue in again. "Very well then," he said, turning me so my back was once again to him. "We'll have to do this the hard way."

Shifting my head around I saw him take a black braided whip off his waist, which I thought had been a belt. Cracking it right next to my head, I quickly turned back to face the wall, trying to prepare myself, but not knowing exactly what a whip would feel like, I mean, this has never happened to me before.

All too soon, my unasked question had been answered. The cord struck against my bare back, a loud cry issuing from my mouth. He laughed behind me, and then hit me again. And again. And again.

Pretty soon, I had ceased to think, to talk, to do anything. I could only focus on the pain, the anguish and helplessness inside me building as each lash struck, leaving a trail of red liquid flowing down my back.

Finally, he stopped, although I was barely conscious by that time. Marlin laughed, as he unchained my hands and I fell to the floor, to weak to stand. He grabbed me by my arm and slung me over his shoulder like a rag doll and walked out of the room back towards the cells.

Right now, I didn't care that I wasn't wearing anything on my top, I didn't care I was bleeding. The only thing that mattered was that I had stopped being hit. "We'll try this again Mudblood," he whispered in my ear, as we entered the cell compound. As soon as Marlin had dumped me on the ground in my cell, all the events caught up with me and I fainted, glad to be leaving that world of pain.

**Fred's POV**

Bloody Hell... I took one look at Hermione and then jumped into action. "Hannah, get me that water from yesterday, Pansy, can you pull her hair back?" The girls in the cell set to work, as I took off my own shirt while George gently turned the girl so she was lying on her front so that we could treat her back.

Hannah handed me the small bowl of water that we had saved and now we had a good reason to use it. Tearing off a small piece of my ragged shirt, I dipped it into the water and gently started to wipe the brunette's back.

What had that man done to her? Whipped, I could see that, but for how long? Why? Hermione had the most sense out of all of us, she knew not to insult the guards, right? And it looked like he had done more than whipping…there were bruises all over her front. Pansy was taking Mione's knotted hair and pulling it off to the side so it wouldn't dry in the blood that covered her.

Once we were done cleaning her as best we could, Pansy as gently as possible, pulled my shirt on over the girl's welt covered frame. George picked her up and set the Gryffindor down in my lap, her head resting against my shoulder and my one arm holding her to me, not tightly but securely.

I felt tears sliding down my face after looking at hers. Her lips were larger than normal, the skin bruised around it. A large angry red hand print was on her cheek her eyes squinted tight in pain. What had that bastard done?

Ginny was cuddled in Ron's arms sobbing, scared at the horrible sight of her friend. Even Harry had moved off of the floor and was pressed against the bars, his emerald eyes once more ablaze with fire.

We stayed that way a long time, the only change Ginny had stopped crying and was now just resting in Ron's arms. If there was one good thing that came out of this, it would be we've all gotten closer to each other. Heck, I'm even ordering around a Slytherin who actually listened to me!

The girl in my arms started to stir, nuzzling her head against my bare chest looking for warmth. "Mione, wake up," I whispered, "Open your eyes."

A few seconds later the honey brown eyes opened, revealing tears that were forming before they spilled over, coating her red cheeks in little paths of crystal. "It's alright," I said soothingly, "Just let it all out."

"What did they do to you?" asked George once Hermione had stopped crying. "Come on Mione, talk to us." The injured girl shook her head and buried it against my chest, tears still streaming down her face.

"Just let her be for a while," I said, my whole heart going out to the weeping girl. "She'll talk to us when she is ready."

And ready didn't take too long. Not even ten minutes later, the crying girl raised her head, her eyes shining brightly. "You want to know what happened?" she asked, her face grim. "I'll tell you. They want to know where Dumbledore is, not that we'll ever tell them. And they'll do anything to get it." She chuckled dryly, her voice still hoarse from screaming.

"But what happened to you?" I asked. "Unless you don't want to talk about it," I added quickly.

Hermione shook her head, wincing at the slight strain on her muscles. "If we expect to get through this, we have to be perfectly honest with each other. He whipped me, as you can see, and in a sense violated me I guess..." her voice trailed off in memory. "He originally offered me some food, but I think it had a Truth Potion in it so I refused. He got a bit violent after that."

"Oh Mione," said George, staring sadly at the girl, pity shining in his eyes. In fact, everyone looked sad for Mione, even Pansy.

"This is my fault too," muttered Harry, banging his head against a wall. "If I had just gotten to him first then none of this would have happened."

"Oh, shut up, Potter," growled Pansy. "We all got in this mess and I for one am going to get out. Now stop blaming yourself and start thinking of a plan."

I looked at the Slytherin girl with new respect. I had often wondered how she had managed to lead the Slytherins when Malfoy wasn't there, but now it was clear. Both of the Slytherins were incredible leaders, with enough venom and power to make anyone fear them.

Hermione leaned her head back wearily against me, her eyes closed in thought. "Can any of you think of a way for us to get out of here?" I asked, my voice hoping for an answer.

"I know," said Harry, "We can all just kill ourselves."

"Don't talk like that!" shouted Ginny. "Don't you dare even think those thoughts, Harry James Potter! Do you honestly have the intention of leaving us all here? HUH?"

"Shhh, keep it down, Ginny," hissed Lavender. But it was to late. Marlin came around the corner, this time with another of the Death Eaters.

"Which one of you was making all the racket?" demanded Marlin, peering into each of the cells. "Obviously a girl, not the Mudblood of course," he continued, and I tightened my arms around Hermione to keep her from doing anything stupid. "Ah you, Weasley," he said eyeing the small girl up and down.

"You leave her alone," yelled Ron, his arms tightening around our sister. "Don't you dare even lay one finger on her!" Ginny looked completely terrified at the thought that she might have to go with this man. None of us could stop him... he had the wand; we did not.

"I won't hurt you" said Marlin, opening the creaky door. "All we're going to do is talk..." He attempted to take Ginny, but Ron lashed out, kicking the guy firmly in his gut. Marlin doubled over, but removed his wand from his robes. We all immediately froze, knowing he could kill us at any minute. "Let's go," said the long black haired man, his eyes narrowed.

"Take me instead," said Ron firmly, although his eyes showed he was scared. "I'll go with you."

"Oh no, I much prefer girls instead. Now come, Weasley..." Ginny threw Ron a despairing look, but stepped out of his embrace and left the cell, Marlin's hand clamped on her shoulder and the other Death Eater following behind.

That next hour was pure Hell for me, all of us really. Was that man going to hurt Ginny? If he even dared touch her like he did Mione- my hands tightening around the Gryffindor- he'd wished he'd never been born after Fred Weasley attempted to murder him.

When we heard the soft thud of footsteps coming towards us, we all waited anxiously to see how Ginny was. The little redhead in question was walking in front of the second Death Eater completely unharmed with a puzzled look on her face. The man opened the door, shoved her in and left.

"Did he hurt you, Ginny?" asked Neville, looking intently at her for any sign of new injury.

"No," she said softly. "It was all very strange..." Her eyes looked up at the ceiling and then towards Malfoy's cell. "They told me the oddest thing," she continued, not really aware that all of us were looking at her completely confused.

"Mind starting at the beginning Gin?" asked Ron, sliding down next to Ginny. "We're all a bit lost."

"Oh. Sorry," she said, a faint blush coating her cheeks. "First they asked me where Dumbledore was and I said I didn't know. So that one guy, Marlin tried to take off my shirt," she shuddered at the thought, "But Dameo, the other guy stopped him. Said they could use me for something else."

"And what is that something else, Gin?" asked George, worry laced on his voice.

"I'm getting to that, hang on. So he offered me some food, and I ate it, after being assured it didn't have a Truth Potion in it Dameo tested it by asking me to ask him a ridiculous question that he could lie to. So I asked if he was a Death Eater and he said no. But after I'd eaten he just told me I had to deliver a message..."

"Which is?" asked Lavender, her eyes dancing with anticipation.

"It's rather odd really, but it's for Malfoy...okay listen," said my sister, crossing over to the bars and looking in the direction of Malfoy's cell. "Hey Malfoy! I have a message for you!" No answer came from the silent cell. "I'll just give it to you," she shouted. "Marlin told me to tell you that your dad's coming tomorrow and he wants you to be ready for him. He said you'd understand..." Ginny trailed off, not sure what else to say.

"So he said my father is coming?" asked the voice that hadn't spoken since we had arrived. It was soft, weak but still held that tone of self defiance, the note that said no one could tell him what to do and even if they did, he wouldn't listen.

"Yes," said Ginny. "I suppose he wants to see you..."

"Figures he'd come now." We all looked at each other puzzled, not fully understanding what Malfoy had said. Was it possible that he was going to switch back to Voldemort's side? He did have a chance being a pureblood of a Dark Wizarding family.

Harry must have been thinking along the same lines as well, because he blurted out, "Are you thinking of switching sides, Malfoy?"

A low chuckle came from Malfoy's cell. "Do you really think I would do that Potter? Much as I hate to admit it, I'm sticking with you guys, although some food and a hot bath would be incredibly nice."

"I'll take the bath," said Lavender. "My hair feels like a rat's nest, and I know that that is what it feels like since I found one a few days ago."

Then Ginny spoke up, her small freckled face filled with a look of satisfaction. "I smuggled out two croissants from the meal today..." Everyone's mouths watered, already tasting the delicious buttery rolls, "But I think Harry and Malfoy deserve them. You two haven't eaten in over four days!"

"Six," drawled Malfoy, his voice tired.

"Then that's even more reason. Okay, I'm going to throw one to you, Malfoy. Then George, catch this and toss it back across to Harry." Seconds later, I could see Harry devouring his roll in about two bites, manners forgotten for the moment.

Honestly, it wasn't fair. Neither of them were fed very much, in fear that they would somehow regain strength and bust us all out. I know Harry was in pretty bad condition, his tattered sweater was but a mere shirt full of holes and I'm not sure how long his pants would last. All of us were barefoot, so I can't really sympathize him for that. But I'm assuming Malfoy looks even worse.

Harry had been hit with a stunning spell during the battle, but I'd seen Malfoy go down under Crutacius curses being fired right and left at him as he fought like a raging bull, taking out the Death Eater's numbers like crazy.

I wonder what it means that Malfoy would understand.. And why would his father be coming? Maybe to see Voldemort, but why would he want to see the son he disowned? It makes no sense. Then again, this world doesn't make sense.

**Hermione's POV**

I was so happy to have friends like these. Even Pansy had been nice, and all of them were trying to make me feel better after what had happened. I feel bad, having Fred's shirt and he has nothing, but I know I need it and he'll insist that I keep it anyway.

I wish that that fateful day had never happened. I wish I was still snug and warm in Gryffindor Tower. I wish my parents were still alive. I wish none of this had ever happened. Against my own will, my mind began to disappear into the event I had tried so hard to forget, yet so hard to remember, hoping there was some thread of evidence that might help us.

**Flashback to May 27th, 2003**

"Man am I glad we got through that quiz! I thought it would never end!" exclaimed Ron, throwing his books down next to the lake.

"Professor Snape just wishes to test us," I replied, "It wasn't really that hard."

"Yeah," muttered Harry, "For you and Malfoy. Head boy and Head girl, the smartest wizard and witch since the founders themselves. Of course it wasn't hard."

I flopped down on the grass, tucking my hands beneath my head and looking up at the clouds. "Don't you wish everything could always stay this way forever?"

"No," muttered Ron. "I'd rather have a passing grade on my Potions final and then the world is happy to stay this way."

I laughed, the melody carrying over the breeze. The wind also carried another sound, screams coming from the castle. But these weren't the cries girls made when scared, or the yells of Slytherins and Gryffindors fighting each other. These cries were desperate. And then yelling could be heard clearly as the three of us raced for the school, leaving our books and papers where they had been dropped.

When I reached to front of the school, I could only stare in horror as thousands of black hooded men and women stormed the grounds, curses issuing from their wands and crashing into the Hogwarts students, valiantly trying to fight back, but without much success.

Then, Dumbledore came to the top of the steps, the professors following him all with their wands out. A black blur raced out from the side of the building, firing a spell at a Death Eater who had just been about to kill a terrified third year Ravenclaw.

"Malfoy," I gasped, recognizing the familiar shock of blond hair. With a roar, the Death Eaters who had seen his attack began to bombard him with their own spells as he expertly evaded them, dodging headlong into battle.

I knew what this was...I knew what was happening. This was war...the war against good and light, the final battle.. My eyes scanned the battlefield, bodies of Hogwarts students littering the ground, their faces frozen in terror.

"Come on!" yelled Ron. "We have to help." Then he dashed towards the large black group, his wand drawn and light already coming from it. I took off after him, Harry pounding behind me, although he had his own task...defeat Voldemort.

Then, I saw a sight that will never be forgotten, the anger, the injustice of it all hitting me full blast. McGonagall successfully shooting a Death Eater only to be hit in the back by a bright green light, falling forward and hitting the ground, her expression still one of determination, wand falling from her hand to be crushed underfoot a second later.

A roaring to my left broke through my muddled mind and I turned to see Hagrid, fighting with his bare hands, throwing the black robed wizards right and left, his face bright red with exertion, his mane of hair looking even wilder than it ever has before.

"HAGRID!" I shouted, watching as one of the fallen Death Eaters rose, Hagrid oblivious to him. "HAGRID! WATCH OUT!" I screamed, but the cry was too late. The half giant turned, only to be hit directly in the chest with the killing curse. He swayed on his feet for a half second, before falling, the ground shuddering slightly beneath my feet.

I backed up and tripped, landing flat on my face next to a dirty blond haired girl. "L-Luna," I gasped, looking at the surprised face, the utter shock on it. "No…not you too," I shook the Ravenclaw by her shoulder. "Wake up..." No movement came from the body, only more agonized cries surrounded me.

I got to my feet, wand ready and my emotions in check. I wasn't just fighting for my life any more, I was fighting for my friends and teachers, classmates and students, for their sacrifice to this bloody ending.

My eyes focused on the main battle going on in the grounds, not even aware of the rest of the fighters stood Harry and Voldemort, battling it out. I let my eyes wander around, spotting Ginny thrown over a Death Eater's shoulder. I raced for her, other images and people coming into sight.

Fred and George, had arrived with other aurors and wizards, were fighting back to back, taking down their opponents. A bright flash and I saw Ron go down with thankfully just a stunning spell.

Bright red flashes lit up a small area of the battlefield, where angry Death Eaters were putting a fellow classmate of mine, the one and only Malfoy, under the Crutacius Curse, him screaming and clutching his head, kneeling on the ground before his tormentors.

I looked back at Harry to see the thing I wish I hadn't. Voldemort dashed towards Harry, his wand raised and Harry easily blocked the spell, but was unprepared for the second wand that Voldemort had hidden in his hand, going down with a spell, that all I know wasn't green.

At that split second, I saw Snape fall off of the steps into the crowd, wand dropping from his fingertips. And then, a feeling of great force slammed into my back, and everything started to go dark...

**End Flashback**

"Mione! Mione, snap out of it!"

"Huh, what?" I asked, blinking in the sudden rush back to the present.

"Thank God," said Hannah, giving me a gentle hug, "We thought we lost you."

"What do you mean?" I asked, looking around at all the worried faces around me. "Did I do something?"

"Your eyes kind of glazed over and you haven't moved or blinked in the last five minutes. Are you all right?" asked Fred, his brown eyes looking at me with concern.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine... But, I'm feeling a bit tired," I yawned.

"It's time we all got to bed," said Fred, taking charge of the group. Gently, he plucked me off his lap and set me down in the straw, smiling at me. "You sure you're alright?" he asked softly so that only I could hear him.

"Yes, I'll be fine." I rested my head in my arms, the only comfortable pillow available and closed my eyes, trying to ignore the pain in my back that flared every few seconds in reminder of what had happened just hours ago.

After about an hour, I just lay there silently, listening to all the noises of the night. It was pitch black, the torches having gone out around ten, and no moonlight of any sort filled the cell. I could hear the rats shifting and scampering about, free to come and go as they pleased.

Soft, odd sounding snores of some sort reached my ears and a smile crept on my face. I had learned that George often made those odd noises in his sleep, a breathing problem I guess. Although it doesn't bug him at all…only those of us who are trying to sleep.

But after a few seconds, I realized that the noise wasn't coming come from George. It sounded more like...crying. Gingerly I sat up, cocking my ears to identify the person to who it belonged. No one in my cell, that was for sure... And I know it isn't Ron or Ginny, it doesn't sound like them...Lavender or Neville maybe?

No, both were sound asleep when the hour had struck ten. So that meant it had to be either Harry or Malfoy...and I'm pretty sure that it isn't Harry.

I listened harder, straining my ears to pick up the slight noise that might identify the person. It was soft, almost muffled sounding, and I could almost feel the anguish and pain that came though those tears. That's when I realized who was crying.

My eyes softened as I stared at the blank wall which separated my cell from Malfoy's. I wanted to go over there and comfort him, let him know I was there for him. But his pride and a wall blocked my path.

For the rest of the night I lay awake, listening to Malfoy cry out his soul, the tears pouring like there was no end. The utter darkness cloaked us all, its menacing presence the whole of our current lives.

Black. Black is our world.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

And there's chapter one reposted. One major change I'm making is that the time passed from before is much greater since only a few days really isn't that sufficient. Please do review, comments are greatly appreciated! Espcecially since the first BOW was deleted, I want to see how many of you are interested in this one. Maybe we'll even see some new faces and hopefully some old ones.


	2. Drowning in Darkness

**Disclaimer: Still, after a little over a week, I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Black is Our World**

**Drowning in Darkness**

It was pitch black, no light whatsoever. I used to love the dark, now I hated it. All it did was bring up memories of times I wish to forget, make me remember the pain and agony I felt each passing second as my heart and mind kept shattering over and over.

But the ironic thing is, even though the darkness makes me fearful, it does offer a sense of security. When no one can see me, no one can touch me, hurt me...love me. I won't have to hide in the dark, for the dark hides me.

Tears slipped soundlessly off my cheeks, landing on the stone floor that I lay on, the bright silver drops gleaming up at me, the only light in the darkened cell. My breath hitched in my throat as the tears kept coming.

I don't know when the last time I cried was. Probably when I had heard Mother had died, my own father murdering her in her sleep. That was also the day I had changed, moved over to the other side…Potter's side.

**Flashback: December 28, 2002**

Startled, I jerked completely awake, sweat pouring off of me in waves, the blond strands of hair clinging to my damp face and neck. Had that been a dream? It had felt so real... My trembling hands clutched the blankets to my body, shivers running through me although I was far from the cold plaguing my body.

A sudden scream made my hair stand on end and I sprang from the bed, and raced towards the sound, my wand grasped firmly in my hand. I skidded to a halt outside my parent's room, where I had pinpointed the cry.

Pausing, I put my ear to the closed door, trying to decide if I should intrude or not. The sobs of my mother reached my ears, and I suddenly felt afraid, very afraid.

"Lucius, please," she begged, "Don't do this. You don't want to do this..." I inched open the door and peered in, seeing Mother clutching on to Father's robes, dressed in only her nightgown. Tears poured down her face as she looked fearfully at the wand pointed right at her and then back up to his gray eyes which held no compassion.

"Our Lord said that you are no longer needed, Narcissa. The only thing you ever were good for was producing our heir who will carry on the Malfoy name."

"No.. Lucius, please... I'll just leave, I'll never contact you again. Just don't do this," she pleaded, her hands pulling at his robe. "Please? For me? For your wife?"

"Our Lord said to kill you, so I shall. Good bye, Narcissa."

I broke into the room, just as a flash of green light left the tip of Father's wand and slammed into Mother, who fell back against the huge pillows that covered the bed. Cold, calculating eyes turned to face me.

"What are you doing out of bed, Draco?" he asked, stalking towards me.

"You…you killed her..." I said, my eyes beginning to feel slightly wet. "You killed Mother," I repeated, my gaze not wavering from his. "Why?"

"It is a simple answer, Draco. Our Lord did not find any further use for her. After all," he said, tracing the black skull on my forearm, "You should know how he can be." I shivered again, and jerked my arm out of his reach.

"But she was my mother, your wife. How could you just do something like that?" I asked, a tear tracing my cheek, my lower lip trembling slightly and my voice faltering.

A backhand to my face sent me reeling against the door I had banged open mere moments before. "There is nothing to cry over, Draco," hissed Father, his foot coming in contact with my stomach. "She was worthless and meant nothing to me. Now get to bed."

I rose to my feet, making sure my hand did not stray to my cheek or to clutch my stomach. That would be a sign of weakness and Malfoy's did not show weakness. "And wipe those tears off of your face boy, Malfoy's don't cry," he said as I made my way out of the room and back down the hall.

"My mother is dead," I whispered to myself after I was sitting back in my bed, the blankets forming a cocoon around my slim figure that was still trembling. "He killed her... Father just murdered my mother..."

Blindly, my hand reached out and touched the putrid mark on my left arm, the black skull leering beneath my fingertips. "What was I thinking?" I asked myself, tracing the mark. "He'll never care about me, no matter what I do for him. The only good thing I've ever made him feel proud was when I received the Dark Mark is sixth year...

"I know what I'll do...when I get back to Hogwarts, I'll go see Dumbledore. He might be able to help..." Pulling the covers over my head, I snuggled down, tears once again leaking down my face. If I didn't feel pride in being a Malfoy, there was no use acting like one.

**January 4, 2003**

"Draco, are you feeling alright?" I felt Pansy sit down on the bench next to me. "You don't look so well."

"Bugger off, Pansy," I muttered, leaning my forehead against the cool glass of the train's window. I was back on my way to Hogwarts, after receiving a parting gift from Father. Several new bruises and cuts along with an ache that flowed through my whole body were what I was now dealing with, thankfully all covered with a concealment spell I had placed upon myself before arriving at the train station. I was pretty good at them too, having had to use the charm on myself since I was eleven when I ventured out into Hogwarts.

I felt a blanket being draped over my shivering frame, glad for the warmth but extremely annoyed. _'What do I have to do to make Pansy leave me alone?'_ my mind screamed, not quite used to not having people listen to me.

"You're sick, Draco," ventured the Slytherin girl, "And you're hurting yourself by not letting me treat you. Now just lie still for the rest of the trip." Obediently, although I have no idea why, I allowed the girl to get Crabbe and roll me so I was lying on the seat, more comfortable than I had been before.

A cold cloth draped itself on my forehead, the cooling sensation causing me to shiver. I didn't feel well at all... Maybe I would...go...to...sleep.

**Pansy's POV**

I allowed myself a small smile of satisfaction when I saw that he had fallen asleep, but it quickly faded as my concern grew. Draco had always been the strongest person I know, he would never allow anyone to see him looking like this... Something must be wrong, really wrong.

I'd been riding with Draco in silence for the past hour, having shooed Crabbe and Goyle out since they were making too much noise with all of their munching when a very odd thing started to happen to Draco.

Like magic, a bruise had formed on his cheek, a deep shade of purple that contrasted with the pale white of his skin, although right now it was currently a light pink due to the fact he had a fever. Slowly, I reached out and touched it, causing him to draw back and give a slight moan. Was it possible he had other bruises?

I bit my lip nervously, debating whether or not I should check. Draco was a very private and secretive person, he wouldn't like waking up with me examining him. Plus the fact that he might think I was taking advantage of him in his current state.

I knew for a fact that Draco was still a virgin, very odd for his social status. He absolutely refused to share himself with anyone until he was married, something I had come across in a journal of his that I had found by accident. I knew I wasn't supposed to go through his things, but I'm a little too curious for my own good.

Peeling back the blanket, I noticed that he really didn't look so well. His robes were clinging to him from his fever and I could tell he was slim, too slim. Sure, Draco had always been very slender, but this was crossing the line.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, unbuttoning his robe and sliding it up and off over his head. Underneath his robe he was wearing a dark emerald green sweater with a pair of black slacks, all easily very expensive.

Gingerly, I began to pull his shirt off, a gasp coming to my throat when I saw the first one. It was large, covering about half of his stomach, a large angry red bruise with blue tingeing the outside. By the time I had his whole shirt off, I had made two discoveries.

One, he was covered in bruises and cuts of all sorts, which might explain the reason he isn't feeling well. Two...he was a Death Eater. The black mark stood out plainly against his skin, the skull grinning up at me.

How could I have Madam Pomfrey treat him if Draco was a Death Eater? If they found out, he could go to Azkaban, or worse he could be given the Dementor's kiss. I couldn't, and wouldn't, allow that to happen, although it was pretty obvious he needed medical assistance as soon as we got off the train.

He started to stir a few minutes later, and it was then I realized I hadn't had time to put his shirt back on. Oh God, I was in major trouble. But instead, the cold Draco Malfoy did something totally unexpected.

"Pansy," he whispered, his voice hoarse and his silver eyes looking brighter than before, "I don't feel well," he said weakly, closing his eyes again.

"Shhh, I know... I'm going to get you some help though, okay?" He didn't answer which I'll just take as a yes. "Now hold still, I have to get this back on..." I grabbed the sweater and started to tug it over his head, messing up the blond hair even more. Seconds later, it was back on and he was breathing irregularly, his lungs not seeming to get enough air. "Stay right here," I whispered, placing the dark blanket over him again. "I'll be right back."

Sliding the compartment door closed behind me, I made my way up to the conductor's room. Knocking politely, I said, "Excuse me. Could you please tell me how much longer till we get to Hogwarts?"

"Fifteen minutes," was the gruff reply and I gave a sigh in relief. Draco would be okay for fifteen minutes. But I don't think he'll be able to get off the train by himself, so I'd better go find one of those beefy buffoons and have them escort or carry him off. I know Draco will probably kill me if I even let someone pick him up, but I really haven't got a choice.

I found both pigs standing in the doorway to a compartment, staring at the occupants. "I'm sorry," I said, grabbing hold of Goyle's sleeve, "They- Why it's just some Gryffindors," I smirked, looking in on the golden trio along with Longbottom and the weaslette. "Then I don't apologize. Let's go you two," I hissed, tugging on the sleeve.

"What's wrong Pansy?" he asked, as Crabbe still stood in the doorway, unsure if he should also follow me. Idiot.

"It's Draco, Moron."

"What about, Malfoy?" asked Crabbe, turning away and following me down the hall to the blond Slytherins' compartment.

"He's not feeling well," I snapped, "And will require some assistance off the train. So one of you is going to help him. And what were you doing standing in front of the Gryffindor's compartment?"

"Well," said Goyle slowly, "whenever any of them are actually coming back to school from break, we uhh, what do we do, Crabbe?"

"We gang up on them," answered the other idiotic Slytherin. "But it didn't seem to go right today."

"That's because Draco wasn't with you today. The train will arrive in a few minutes. Goyle, take Draco and bring him immediately up the hospital wing. Then you're free to go." He nodded, taking orders from me because I had been unofficially elected second in charge of Slytherin after Draco.

As soon as I felt the hum from the scarlet steam engine halt beneath my feet, I nodded to Goyle who picked Draco up carefully, now wrapped in his black robes, and settled him into his arms baby style. Fortunately, Draco had fallen asleep again.

"Be careful," I cautioned as we left our compartment, making sure that Draco's head wasn't rammed into the door frame. We received several curious glances, all the students wondering why Draco Malfoy was being carried off the train. I'm just glad I remembered I had some concealment powder in my purse and got it on his cheek before anyone, even Crabbe and Goyle, saw him.

I followed Goyle up to the hospital wing, where he laid Draco carefully in a bed and then departed for the Slytherin commons. Gently, I pulled the cover up off his face and was startled to see his eyes open and staring straight at me.

"Pansy, where...where are we?" he asked, something of confusion sparkling in the captivating silver eyes.

"Hospital wing," I murmured softly, pulling one of his bangs out of his face. "Oh Draco, what happened to you?" I exclaimed, the concern clearly evident in my voice. "Please tell me…"

"Pansy, can you do me a favor? Could you go get Dumbledore, I need to talk to him," he said weakly, his breaths coming in short gasps.

"Yeah sure...just hang in there Draco." I rose from the bedside and entered the head nurse's little office. "Madam Pomfrey? You have a patient out there. He requests that he needs to see Professor Dumbledore. It's an emergency."

The mediwitch rose, straightening her long flowing red robes. "Alright, Miss Parkinson. I'll go get the headmaster, you wait here. May I ask who it is?" she inquired.

"Draco, Draco Malfoy."

The nurse pursed her lips, having dealt with Draco back in third year with the Hippogriff incident, but a sick patient was still a patient, no matter how snobby. "Alright, I'll be back in a few minutes." She made her way out of the office and I heard the hospital wing door close behind her.

Making my way back out of the office, I once again sat next to Draco, taking his hand in my own, amazed at the amount of heat he was giving off. His cheeks now had two bright pink spots and his silvery blond hair clung to him with perspiration.

"There there," I said comfortingly, stoking his sweaty hair away with my free hand. "Dumbledore will make it all better, don't worry..." As much as I didn't like the headmaster, if Draco wanted to see him it must be pretty important.

Minutes later, I was beginning to grow nervous as Draco's breathing became more and more labored, his lungs fighting for every breath. What was wrong with him? Just then, the doors flew open and Dumbledore entered, every picture of authority.

His sky blue robes dotted with stars swirled around him, the long silvery white beard was pulled and tied with a little blue bow and his eyes held a twinkle, that started to diminish when he spotted Draco.

"Poppy, could you please leave me and Miss Parkinson alone for a few minutes? I'll call you if needed," he said gravely, staring right at me, his gaze burning into my soul.

"Of course Albus." The mediwitch made her way back into her office the door closed with a soft click behind her. Dumbledore glided over to the bed where Draco stared up at him with fevered eyes.

"Mr. Malfoy? Do you mind explaining?" the headmaster asked kindly, a small smile, more to comfort Draco than anything, on his face.

With a bit of effort, Draco hoisted himself so he was no sitting up, leaning against the pillows behind him. "I made a mistake, Sir," he began, looking at his hands. "It seemed right at the time though... all I ever wanted was for him to be proud of me," he said softly.

Dumbledore and I glanced at each other, me shrugging my shoulders and then we both waited for Draco to continue. "When I was younger, I thought it was just his way of trying to strengthen me. After all, I could stand it, after being hit by a Crutacius Curse so many times, you begin to get used to it," he said with a small laugh that quickly turned into a cough, little flecks of blood staining the white sheets. Dumbledore handed Draco a handkerchief which he took and began to cough into, blood seeping through the cloth.

A few seconds later, he looked up, his face more pained than it had been prior. "I agreed to take the Dark Mark, the only time he ever was proud of me," Draco whispered, more to himself than to us, "But now I realize I don't want it. All it has done is bring more pain, greater expectations that I'm expected to live up to. But I just can't," he said despairingly, tears collecting in his eyes before he blinked them back.

"Over Christmas break, it was then I realized how wrong my choice had been. He...my father, murdered her...he murdered my mother," he gasped out, burying his face in his hands. "He killed her," he said, the words muffled.

Looking up he said, "She begged, pleaded for a different way, but he was set. Our Lord, or rather his, had said to kill her and so he did. Honor means nothing among a Malfoy, only power... And...and...I'm...scared." The last part came out so faint that it could barely be heard, but it was.

"I think it is time you got a good rest Draco," said Dumbledore, a sad smile on his face as he looked at the suffering boy. "I'm going to give you some dreamless sleep potion now, you need your rest. We'll take care of everything, just sleep."

Draco nodded and fell backwards in a graceful arc until his head hit the pillow. Dumbledore pulled a small purple bottle off of a shelf and uncapped it, offering it to Draco. He took a small sip and then his eyes closed, the potion already doing its job.

The aging wizard turned to me, his gaze like steel. "Not a word of this will be spoken again, Miss Parkinson, are we clear?"

"Yes, Professor... but first I'd like to tell you something. I'm in agreement with Draco, I don't want to side with Voldemort." He smiled at me, a small twinkle back in his eye.

"I'm glad to hear that, Miss Parkinson. If only the whole school felt the same way...now, we must get him out of these clothes so Poppy can treat him." With a little wave of his wand, Draco was suddenly clothed in just his boxers and a blush came up over my cheeks. But when I looked back at him, the red tinge faded as I took in the state he was in.

Bruises ran up and down his body, and several cuts as well. But easily the most frightening of them all was a long cut slashed across his back, a black aura surrounding it. "You would put this on your own son Lucius?" asked Dumbledore, looking at the black light over the cut.

"What is it Professor?" I asked.

"The kakushigoto itami boutoku," the headmaster said. "Translated, it means the Hidden Pain. It can only be removed by someone other than the victim, although they can not tell anyone, hence the hidden part. The pain is a constant ache, much like being punched repeatedly, and it is a curse for that is what category it falls under. Fortunately for Draco, I know the counter curse. Hireki kakushigoto."

I watched as the black aura around the cut disappeared so that now it was just a cut, and we could both see Draco's body relax a bit in relief. "You should head back to your dorm. And remember, Miss Parkinson, not a word." I nodded and left after one wistful glance at Draco, glad he was going to be alright.

That was the day I officially switched over to Dumbledore's side, although none of my other Slytherin friends would ever know. In fact, only Draco and Dumbledore. Maybe he isn't as stupid as I thought.

**Draco's POV**

Upon waking up, I noticed almost instantly that the pain that had flowed through my body had stopped and I was wrapped in bandages, protecting all the cuts. A blue cream was on the bruises, and I didn't feel so cold anymore.

"It is good to see you awake, Mr. Malfoy," called Madam Pomfrey from across the room. "The headmaster will be in shortly to talk to you." I nodded from my spot on the bed, and then attempted to rise, feeling incredibly weak.

Since Mother had died, I hadn't eaten one piece of food, nor drank anything. It was my way of mourning I guess. In the end, after a battle with my blanket, I managed to sit up just as the door opened to reveal Pansy, Dumbledore, and Snape.

Immediately, Pansy threw herself towards me, pulling my incredibly thin frame into a hug, fat tears trickling down her cheeks. "Oh, Draco," she sobbed, "I thought you might not make it!"

For some reason, I started to smooth her hair down, murmuring soothing words to the distraught girl. Who would ever have known that I could be caring, comforting? "I'm fine, seriously, Pansy...don't cry..."

I could feel the two adults exchange looks with each other over my odd behavior. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw Snape give a small smile and Dumbledore beam. "What do you mean I almost didn't make it?" I asked Pansy, who had gotten herself under control and was now just looking at me.

"Your heart stopped," she said. "After Madam Pomfrey had treated you for all those cuts, your heart just stopped. We had to shock you into moving again... It's been three days. Dumbledore said you might have slipped into a coma."

"How are you feeling, Mr. Malfoy?" asked Dumbledore, peering at me over his half mooned spectacles.

"I'm feeling fine, Professor," I said, glancing up at him.

"Good, then you'll be able to hold down some food." Muttering a few well chosen words, a plate with a hot bowl of soup and a cup of tea hovered in the air above me before it settled itself on the nightstand. "Now eat," he ordered.

Under the headmaster's insisting eyes, I had no choice but to pick up the spoon and begin eating the tomato soup. "Now Draco, I honestly need you to tell me, did Lucius do this to you?"

"Yes, Sir," I said, my eyes riveted on the soup. "He did..."

"And are you truly against Voldemort Draco?"

I thought about that one for a moment. "Yes," I answered firmly. "Death Eaters don't even care about their own families, nor anyone except for themselves and their 'Lord.' I don't want to be like that."

"Then are you willing to join the Light, Draco? Those who fight against Voldemort?"

After another quick pause for thinking, I nodded slowly, glancing over at Pansy to see how she would take this switch. And Snape, I knew he was a Death Eater so why was he here?

"Excellent," said Dumbledore clapping his hands. "You and Severus will both be spies for the Order, a group against Voldemort," he said in response to the puzzled look on my face. "And Miss Parkinson also shares your views on this matter. But to keep things easy, let's keep this all hush-hush, okay?"

"Yes, Professor," we both said in unison.

"I'll leave you to get some rest Draco, but you have to eat. Classes start in two days for you, I'll have Miss Parkinson send up the work you've missed so far. Good day both of you." With a slight swish of his blue robes, the headmaster was gone along with Snape.

"So we're both fighting against him, huh?" I asked, turning to the Slytherin girl.f

"Yes, although I'll just be mainly for support. I don't have a Mark and can't spy." Her warm smile made a small one creep on my face, not a smirk, a real smile. "We'll get through this Draco. No one can stop us."

"I hope you're right," I said, leaning back against the pillows. "Because I don't ever want to go back."

**End Flashback**

The dim light of the burning torches let me know that it was day and that soon the guards would be coming around with breakfast, although none would be for me. I sat up, but even that took quite an amount of effort, and leaned back against the cool stone wall.

Heavy footfalls echoed down the corridor, but strangely enough stopped in front of my cell. Prying open my tired eyes I gave a little gasp as the man entered my cell. "It's been such a long time since I last saw you, Draco," the man said silkily, stalking towards me. "Is this the way you greet your father?"

"You're no father of mine," I spat, my eyes flashing in anger. "A real father wouldn't kill his wife, beat his child, work for a man who keeps you under watch all the time. No father would -"

I was silenced as he slammed my head back against the wall, black spots swarming in front of my eyes, his leering face the only clear object. "Don't say those kind of things, Draco. I may be your ticket out of here."

Easily, he threw my frame over his shoulder and left my cell. Wearily, I picked my head off of him and stared at the retreating faces of my previous classmates, all filled with worry as I was carted off.

I was carried down twisting halls until Father opened a large oak door and dumped me unceremoniously on the floor. Glancing around I took in my surroundings. I was on a dark green carpet in a rather well furnished room. A large four-poster bed sat against a wall and a fireplace cast flickering green flames over the room.

"Get up, Draco," commanded the blond haired man, who had already seated himself on a leather couch. Hesitantly, I sank onto a chair, eyeing the man up and down. He was wearing nice black robes, his hair tied in back with his trusty snake cane with him. Me, I was wearing a tattered pair of black slacks they had captured me in and a shirt that had once been a dark green, now a dirty brown with holes up and down, the sleeves cut near the top.

"What do you want?" I asked cautiously, looking him over for a hidden motive. And what had he meant when he said he could get me out?

"How would you like a second chance, Draco?" asked Lucius, leaning back comfortably on the couch, keeping one hand closed over his snake cane that concealed his wand.

"A second chance at what?" I asked, now on guard. I had learned something from this man never trust anyone. And that advice was coming in really handy right now.

"To be loyal to Our Lord," he said with pride. "He has thought and reconsidered that if you would like to join our side again, we might forget all previous actions you committed. Doesn't that sound like a good?"

"Listen, Father," I said coldly. "Yes, it is a generous offer, but you make one mistake. I'm never going back to help him. Or you," I added as an afterthought. "I'm fighting for what it right, and I'll never stoop so low as to help you."

"Fine," Lucius said, rising from the couch. "But you're not getting out of here quite yet." I felt the familiar wave of helplessness wash over me as I realized I was trapped in here with him. Running to the door, I tugged on the handle, only to realize he had magically locked it.

xxx

This next scene was deleted due to _explicit content. _For a summary, since it will come back into play later in the story, Lucius rapes Draco when all Draco thought was he was to get a beating. If you'd like to read the un-edited version, please visit my new Google sites account (sites .google. com/site/icypanther/) (remove the spaces) and find it under the fanfiction tab.

xxx

Mouths dropped as Lucius Malfoy came into the cells carrying an uncofnscious and bloody Draco Malfoy. With a sneer, Lucius threw his son into the cell, slamming the gate behind him and stalking off.

"Malfoy," called out Hermione tentatively, "...Draco?"

Pansy slammed her hands up against the wall that separated her from the other Slytherin. "Answer us ,Draco," she pleaded. "Please wake up..."

The blond gave a slight moan and turned slightly to the side, enough so that Ron and his cellmates could see Draco's face. "Bloody Hell," muttered Ron. "I don't believe it..."

Anyone who could see the Slytherin could almost immediately tell what had happened. The dark bruises in the shape of hands all over his chest, long scratch marks going up and down his arms, mused hair and bruising lips. Plus the fact that he had blood darkening his pants...and trails of tears on his cheeks.

"He needs help," cried the littlest Weasley, clutching at the bars and tears streaming down her face.

"What happened?" screeched Pansy. "What did Lucius do?"

"I think it is better you don't know," said Lavender softly, gazing at the unmoving figure.

"WHAT HAPPENED!" she bellowed, voice ringing down the hall.

"Keep it down," hissed Harry. "He's been raped."

"What!" cried a chorus from the cell next to Draco's, Hermione, Pansy, the Weasley twins and Hannah all looking at one another in shock. "You're positive, Harry?" asked Hannah, her voice quivering.

"Yeah," muttered Ron, staring at the figure of his once arch enemy, now fully beaten. "I'm absolutely sure."

"But that can't be," said Pansy, sinking down to her knees, hand resting on the wall. "He said he wasn't ever share himself with anyone until he was married... And now..."

"Not on his own choice, that can be said for sure," said Neville.

"Why would Lucius do something like this?" asked Hermione softly. "Pansy, do you know?"

The Slytherin sighed. "Yes, I know. He's been being abused at home, since I think he was eleven, probably sooner. He had a curse put on him, the kakushigoto itami boutoku." Here Hermione gasped and Pansy allowed a pause.

"I found out he was a Death Eater when I tried to help him and later he explained to Dumbledore he didn't want to be one anymore. I can only guess that Lucius got sick of beatings and wanted to try something else."

"Why?" asked Ron. "I thought he loved the Dark Arts..."

"Draco's interested in Dark Arts, really good at them too, but he quit for his own reasons."

"Which are?" prodded Hermione.

"Lucius killed Narcissa on the Dark Lord's orders. From what I understand, Draco heard the entire conversation before he killed her. He decided that Death Eaters had no loyalty towards their families, and he is right of course, and became a spy. Only myself, Dumbledore, Snape, and of course Draco knew of this. I switched for same views as Draco, although no one died at my house. I just didn't want to be a person who killed for blood. Happy now?"

"How are we going to help him?" asked Fred, "It is pretty obvious we can't go through a solid stone wall."

"But he'll die if we don't get in there," wailed Pansy, pulling on her hair. "And I told him we would get through this! I am not going back on my word. I may not be a trusting Hufflepuff or a loyal Gryffindor, but I do care!"

"I think it's time we used these, don't you, Fred?"

"Yeah.. This would seem like the right moment. We're not just going to let one of our number die on us, even if he did insult our family." The whole group watched with interest as Fred and George reached into their mouths and came out with a tooth, that was actually fake.

"Remember when Fred and I had our wisdom teeth pulled? Well, we stuck these fake teeth that have exploding powder in them in the vacant spots. It won't work on metal, but we should be able to blast through stone. Stand back..."

Fred hurled his tooth, followed quickly by George's and both hit the wall with a little tap. "It doesn't look like anything happened," said Ginny. But she was mistaken when a loud explosion sounded, everyone covering their ears and stone crumbled.

As soon as the dust had cleared a bit, Pansy ran straight into the room through the whole in the wall. "Draco," she sobbed, picking his head up so that it was resting in her lap, wrapping her arms around him.

"P-Pansy...? Is...that you?" he muttered hoarsely, his eyes squinted shut in the pain that raged though him.

"Yes, it's me. Hermione, Fred, George and Hannah too," she added, not even noticing that she had just used their first names. "Draco, please look at me," she pleaded, her eyes tearing up and the liquid falling onto Draco's exposed chest.

Both silver eyes cracked open, pain the only emotion seen in them. "I...can't...breathe," Draco gasped, pain flooding him so greatly he was beginning to hyperventilate.

"Draco, snap out of it," cried Pansy, "Snap out of it!"

Hermione pushed the Slytherin aside and placed both of her hands firmly on Draco's bruised chest, his head resting on the ground. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her mouth on to his, attempting to give him air that he desperately needed.

Instead of accepting the breath, he moved furiously, trying to get her off of him. _'Aw shit,'_ she thought, _'He's just been raped... Now it looks like I'm kissing him... I can be such an idiot.'_

Quickly, she removed her mouth, Draco calming down and his breathing returning to normal on its own.

"WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN HERE?" Lucius Malfoy followed by some of the other guards who had to run to keep up with his long stride, were rushing down the hall towards where they had heard the explosion.

Harry and Ron's cellmates went to the back of their cells, fear for their friends' safety pulling at their hearts. "Ah Draco, always have to be the center of attention, don't we?" asked Lucius, staring in at his son. "Too bad you weren't lying so still earlier, it would have saved a great deal of pain for you."

Hermione rose to her feet, looking at the blond man with clear loathing. "I can't believe that you would do this to your own son. You monster," she spat, "Have you no heart?"

"Correct, Mudblood, smart little thing aren't you. My heart left me long ago. Which is why," he said looking around inside the cell, "I believe an example needs to be made." Turning to the guards he said, "Bind all of their hands and bring them into the ballroom." And then, with a flutter of his robe, the older Malfoy left.

The whole group eventually had their hands tied behind their back, although not before several injuries had been given. Ginny had bit into a guard's finger, drawing blood when she refused to let go. Pansy had knocked one of them unconscious by slamming their head against the wall with her body. But soon all were being dragged off down the hall, kicking and yelling to no avail.

Lucius Malfoy was standing on the ground, a large wooden stage set up a few feet away. "Let's see," he said, his eyes darting over the prisoners. "Bring Parkinson up, have the rest kneel."

Pansy kicked and screamed, hurling insults at the two guards who had been given the task of getting the girl up the steps and onto the stage. The rest of the group could only watch in silence and fear, wondering what was about to happen.

**Draco's POV**

One of the guards pushed me to my knees, tracing his finger in a way I did not like at all over my cheek before standing behind me, one of his beefy hands resting on my bare and bruised shoulder.

I ignored the man, although I wish he would take his hand off of me, and turned to look up at Pansy. She looked terrified, standing all alone except for two guards on either side of her. Father stood looking at all of us, his gaze focused on me. Licking his lips, a gesture that made me shiver, he began to speak.

"I do believe that we have allowed too much insubordination in the cells. From what your guards have told me, you constantly talk, make trouble, and now a large section of fine stone has been blown to bits. I'm hoping that eliminating one of you will bring you all down a notch."

I felt my insides freeze with the sudden realization of what was about to happen. He was going to kill Pansy... A lightheaded feeling came over me and I tried to conquer it, my eyes focused on Father who had his wand pointing up at Pansy.

"Don't worry, Pansy dear, it will be quick," he said with a laugh. "But hopefully you'll learn to not side with my foolish son if you are ever reincarnated."

"Father..." I whispered, "Don't..."

The ebony wand raised so that it was pointed at Pansy who gazed back at it, fear and helplessness clouding her eyes, before she let them close, not wanting to see her death come speeding at her.

"Avada..."

I jumped to my feet, shoving the guard off of me, my energy having a sudden flare, and slammed against my father.

"Kedavra." Unfortunately for the guard on Pansy's left, when I had hit Father the spell hadn't flown straight and had just ended the guard's life, not Pansy's.

"You always manage to mess something up, don't you Draco?" he growled, picking me up, his hand wrapped around my neck. My arms hung down my back, tied securely, my air supply being cut off. He glanced at my left arm and the familiar gleam of hunger for pain entered.

"Take the girl off, plans have changed." As Pansy was led off, only to glad to be going, I was carried on, struggling in his grasp before I was thrown down. Conjuring ropes, he untied the ones that bound my hands behind me and then tied me so my arms were splayed on the sides and my legs were bound as well.

Removing a bottle of clear gel out of his pocket, he took a little brush and began to paint it over my Dark Mark. "You know, Draco," he said, a smirk on his face, "I think you'll enjoy this.."

Now I was scared…not to say I hadn't been, but when he said I was going to enjoy something it normally ended up with me screaming in pain. "What was that gel, Lucius?" asked the remaining living guard who was on the stage next to me.

"A simple item so we won't have to smell the burning flesh," said Lucius, his eyes flashing in delight. "After all, I'm assuming that's what happens when one gets branded."

He approached me with a piece of metal that he had made with his wand, an 'x' carved on it and glowing bright red with heat. "You don't want to be a Death Eater, Draco?" he drawled, "Then I'll make sure no one ever mistakes you for one."

He lowered the brand, my arm already starting to feel scorched and he hadn't even touched me yet. Then, with a sudden thrust of his arm, the burning metal connected with bare skin and I screamed, trying to wrench my arm way but the ropes held it too tightly.

"Isn't this fun, Draco?" he asked over my screams. "Don't you like this feeling?"

It was worse than just burning your hand on a hot pan... The searing agony ripped through my flesh, the heat unbearable. My tortured cries rang throughout the room, my throat going raw with my yells.

Minutes later, I felt the iron being removed, but was too afraid to even glance at the red and blistered skin.

"Bring them all back to their cells," ordered Lucius. "The wall should be repaired by now."

Roughly, I was picked off the stage and dragged down the corridor, then thrown in my cell, my head hitting the floor with a resounding crack.

"Draco?" called Hermione, "Can you hear me?"

I didn't answer, didn't even question why I had just thought of her as Hermione and not Granger, but instead looked at my mark, dread growing in my stomach.

It was bad alright. The skin around it was blistered and peeling, a pretty bad burn. But the mark...the mark was still there, the skull still leering. But now, a large 'X' went through it, signaling a traitor.

I sighed, clutching my arm to me, tears welling up in my eyes, and I let them spill over, no longer wanting to be strong willed and not show I was hurting. And for the rest of the night I just lay there crying. Hermione, Pansy, Ginny and even Harry called out to me, but I ignored them, locked inside myself, drowning in my own little world, the darkness and pain catching up and dragging me down, never wanting me to see the light again. Ever.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

And well, I'm back. I've been up in Wisconsin all day but made myself get this up before I go take a nap and do my homework...that's piling up.

First, some great news! My Short Story won Fourth Place at Lit fest! Pretty good, considering I wrote it during my art class and in less then forty minutes. So I'm quite proud of my pretty new ribbon! MWAHAHA! The smile does work! Yay! Or, I shall hope it does once this is uploaded.

Remember, if you'd like to read the uncut version, please visit my webbie! And please do review! We almost hit our quota of 35...only 4 short! That's pretty good considering angst isn't as popular as other categories.

Also, if you see spelling errors, I'm very sorry. My compy likes to turn words around without my permission. -glares- In one fic, I actually had orange soda drinking one of the characters:o So, at least I think this is better edited.

And one note...

**Samhaincat- **I would have just kept the original here, but it was already rated R and some report happy person thought I overstepped that rating (which I didn't as many people told me over email) so I've decided that instead of risk it getting deleted again, to just put an _edited version _here.


	3. We're Not Invincible

**Disclaimer: Nope, I'm afraid I still don't own it. Although that might be a good thing...if I did, the name of the serie would have to change. **

**Black is Our World**

**We're Not Invincible**

**Warnings: -sigh- I keep forgetting this isn't the old BOW. A new warning, being put in. There will be character deaths. And not just bad guys, real characters who we all know and love. So, ifyou don't want to read any further, then I suggest you stop now. Arigatou!**

"So what are we going to do?" asked Ginny timidly, her knees drawn up to her chest. For the past several hours, ever since all of the captives had been put back in their cells, the room had been silent as a tomb save for Draco's small sobs and Pansy's voice, trying to make the Slytherin feel better.

Her question was met with a glare from Pansy and sullen shakes of heads from the others. Hope had fled when one of their strongest had started to cry, utterly beaten by his own father. Plus the fact that they all now realized one wrong move could get them killed; Pansy had almost died earlier from one of the forbidden curses.

The young red head lapsed back into silence, tears pricking again at her honey eyes. They were all hurting, they all wanted someone to step forward, take charge, and make everything better. Someone older was needed.. The oldest here were the Weasley twins, at age twenty, and that wasn't even very old.

Harry had always been turned to before at Hogwarts for leadership, except the Slytherins who had always turned to Draco. But now, Harry was weak, a sense of defeat hanging in the air over him. And Draco... The tear filled eyes wandered over to gaze at the blond who was curled up in a little ball in his cell. The person you were supposed to trust most in your life had just done something unforgivable on his own flesh and blood. He was utterly broken, having already accepted defeat. But then again...maybe not.

When Pansy had been up there on the stage, her execution site, he hadn't been down then. He'd gotten up, thrown the guard off, and pushed his father, the jet of green light slamming into the guard, ending his life instead of Pansy's. But then Lucius had marked Draco with a brand, signifying that no one would ever mistake him for a Death Eater again. Was there a chance he still had some of his rebellious spirit left?

Standing up from her huddled position on the ground, Ginny went over to the bars and clasped her hands around them, willing the Slytherin with her eyes to get up and become the strong person he had once been.

"What are you doing Ginny?" asked Ron softly, looking at his sister who had her gaze fixed on Malfoy, never blinking, her knuckles white from the pressure she was applying to the metal poles.

She turned to face him, a sad smile on her face. "Remember when Mum used to tell us if we wished hard enough anything could come true? I know it was a lie," she said, the smile dimming, "But I always believed that there where there was hope anything was possible. I just wish Malfoy would get up..."

The girl slumped to the ground, leaning against the stone wall, her ratty red hair covering her face in a curtain. Bringing her hand up to her face, she pushed them against her eyes, hoping to stop the flood of tears that threatened to come down. She wanted out.. No more pain, no more suffering.

"Awww, Gin..." Ron draped an arm around his sister's small frame, dragging her closer to him, his body giving off a small bit of welcome warmth. "It'll be alright, don't worry. Something will come up, you'll see.."

"You're right," said Harry from the next cell over. "It's time we do something about this. Who's with me?" he asked, his green eyes sparkling with renewed energy.

"I'm with you Harry," said Hermione, looking up from the ground. "I'm your friend and I'm not going to back out now."

"Me too, mate," said Ron.

"And us," said the twins in unison, grinning at each other.

"Don't forget me," said Ginny, rising from the ground, her mouth set in a firm line. "I'm with you till the end."

"I'll help in any way I can," said Hannah softly, her brown eyes full of worry but also determination.

"Don't forget me and Lav," said Neville. "We're in this too."

"We sound like one of those Hero cartoons," Lavender grinned, before going serious and stepping towards the front of the cell.

"I'm not letting you go out there without a Slytherin," said Pansy. "We're sneaky and will probably help you out." Hermione reached over and hugged the girl tightly, realizing that Pansy was going to help even knowing the danger they would be facing.

"Aren't you forgetting me?" asked a hoarse voice, but anger laced in it as well as determination. "I'm not going to stay back here while you're all out there. So count me in as well."

"Are you sure, Draco?" asked Pansy, her body pressed up against the wall. "You're really in no condition to-"

"I'm going, Pansy, don't try to change my mind. So, got a plan, Potter?"

Emerald eyes flashed as Harry nodded. "I believe I do," he said confidently. "Now listen up..."

xxx

"Are you sure this is going to work, Harry?" asked Hermione nervously, looping a piece of brown hair around her finger. "I don't think they're going to buy it..."

"Oh they will," the boy-who-lived said grimly, staring down the empty corridor, waiting for a guard to appear. "They have to." Footsteps echoed down the hall, coming towards the cells. "Okay, now Ginny!" said Harry in a whisper.

The youngest prisoner looked nervously at her cellmates, knowing that her acting skills was what could possibly save them. "Look! Over here!" she exclaimed in a hushed whisper, but loud enough for the approaching guard to hopefully catch. "I think this might be our way out," she said, her voice growing a bit louder.

She hunched down in the back corner of the cell, her hands hurriedly pretending to move something. "I think I might be able to fit through here...hang on..." That was just what the guard needed to hear. He thought that they were escaping and he decided to stop it.

"What's going on here?" he growled, his robe flying out behind him as he opened up the cell door in which Ginny was. "Step away from the wall, girl."

"No," she said, her voice holding a note of panic, not acting this time; she didn't need too. With a menacing stomp forward, he moved to push Ginny out of the way when Ron slammed his fisted hands onto the back of the guard's head, the man falling silently to the floor.

Rummaging through the guard's cloak, Ron backed up with the keys that would unlock the other cells. "Awesome, Ginny," he said, giving the shaking girl a one armed hug. "Bloody brilliant, Harry… I'll have you all out in a second."

Cautiously, the small band of Hogwarts students from Ron's cell crept out, gathering in the middle of the hall, glancing nervously about them. Ron stole over to the cell next to theirs, Harry's, and after several keys opened the door. Harry slipped out and joined the others in the corridor as Ron unlocked the other two cells.

"Listen up," said Harry quietly, looking at every person in turn once they were all out. "I can't guarantee that no harm will come to any of you. If you don't want to get hurt, go back to your cells, none of us will hold anything against you." No one moved. "Alright then, we'll just do the best we can. In case I don't get the chance to say this later.. Thank you to you all for sticking with me. And Malfoy?"

The blond looked at the messy jet-black haired boy. "Truce?" asked Harry, holding out his hand. After a seconds hesitation, Draco took the offered hand and gave it a quick shake, before his hand dropped back to his side. "Let's go," said Harry, starting off down the hall.

Silently, like mice, the eleven teenagers snuck down the darkened hall, the torches casting little light but lots of shadows, making Hannah jump several times when one seemed to emerge from nowhere. A few minutes into traveling, the hall started to turn nicer, the rough stone fading into a black marble with blood red carpeting underfoot.

"Which way do we go now?" asked Harry, glancing at a fork in the hallway. One led down another red carpeted corridor and the other melted back into stone, the torches going farther and farther apart.

"You go to your death," hissed a voice, coming from the darker passage. Marlin stepped out, his black eyes narrowed in a malicious pleasure, knowing that blood was about to be shed. Hermione gave a little eep and backed up, behind Fred, when she saw who it was. Several other Death Eaters emerged from the shadows, all brandishing wands. "Today is the day you die."

Under an unspoken command, the black robed figures dashed towards the defenseless captives, curses already leaving their mouths, the deadly rays aimed at them.

As Harry dodged a spell he found himself back to back with Draco, who was in an arm locked battle with one of the robed men fighting for control of the wand. "Malfoy," gasped Harry, "Take the girls and Neville and make a run for it. We'll hold them off."

"But, Potter," he said, turning silver eyes to green. "What about-"

"JUST GO!" yelled Harry, punching one of the masked men in the face. "GO!"

Draco didn't need to be told twice. Letting go of the grip he had on the wand, he kneed up, catching the guard off guard and sending him stumbling backwards. Forcefully, he grabbed Pansy by her arm and started to drag her off down the other corridor.

"Draco, what-" she panted, as he pushed her away.

"Run, Pansy, I'll catch up with you in a minute. Hurry!" She recognized the urgency in his voice and took off at a sprint down the deserted hall while Draco moved back out into the fray. "Get Brown," he hissed at Neville, who was attempting to sack one of the Death Eaters. "I've got this one." Neville took off into the battle while Draco threw one good punch to the unfortunate man's face, instantly knocking him out cold.

His silver eyes scanning the battling sides, he spotted two girls with brown hair and made his way over to them. "Come on," he growled, pulling on Hermione's sleeve. "Follow me. Grab Abbott and Weasley."

The Gryffindor reached over and snagged the Hufflepuff's arm, dragging her behind her, Ginny following behind. "Where are we going?" asked Hermione as Draco jogged off down the hall, Neville and Lavender trailing him.

"Out of here," he snarled, not in a very good mood. "Potter told me to get all of you and go, so let's pick up the pace and move." The small group ran down the red carpeted hall, the black marble shining with the torch light. In the background yelling and curses were heard, but they continued on, knowing they had to get out.

A high pitched scream from ahead of them made Draco leave his run for an all out sprint, his feet seeming to not even touch the ground. Dashing around a bend in the hall, a growl made its way out of his throat as he saw the scene ahead of him.

"LET HER GO!" he screamed, charging the Death Eater who was holding Pansy off the ground, his wand placed against her head. The black haired man turned to be met with a collision as Draco crashed into him, Pansy falling to the ground, shaken but unhurt.

But Draco's cry had alerted other supporters of Voldemort and they flooded the hall like ants to a picnic, all of their eyes lighting on the Hogwarts group, murderous intent in their eyes.

xxx

"WATCH OUT!" yelled Ron, shoving one of his older brothers out of the way of a falling piece of stone. With all the curses in the small space, pieces of the ceiling were starting to drop onto the wizards below, showing no mercy to anyone.

"RON!" screamed the twins in unison as the huge boulder crashed into the younger Weasley.

"I'm alright," he groaned, "It only got my leg." Pushing the chunk of ceiling off of him, he rose shakily to his feet, leaning against the wall for support. A rumble over head caused him to look up, just in time to see another piece dislodging itself. With one single cry, the rock slammed into him, and he didn't rise.

Harry felt himself falter when he saw the boulder drop onto his long time best friend, but when a spell shot right past his ear, his mind turned back to the battle. Using a piece of rubble as a shield, he effectively blocked several curses that had been headed for him. Unfortunately, the Weasley twins weren't so lucky.

xxx

Echoing a battle cry he had once heard in a muggle movie, Neville charged into the coming swarm of Death Eaters, his fists raised, ready to sacrifice himself to save the others. Draco joined Neville, using his fists and feet to make his way through the coming opponents, his only thought to protect the girls.

Pansy rushed into the fight, shoving a Death Eater out of the way just as he was about to hit Draco. The blond gave her a small, grateful smile, before his expression changed to one of horror as another silvery blond joined the fighting.

Ginny looked out over the growing masses to see Neville go down, his strength leaving him as the Death Eaters mercilessly shot him down with stunning spells, and others but thankfully no bright green ones.

A large hand closed about her neck and she felt herself being lifted into the air, her gaze falling on a large man beneath her, before his fist connected with her jaw and everything went black.

Hermione watched in growing terror as Lavender was hit, falling gracefully to the floor, her brown hair streaming on the ground, her eyes closed. A spell slammed into Hermione and a burning pain started to swim through her, all other noise and distraction being blocked out by the agony that crept upon her.

xxx

It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Marlin picked himself up off of the floor, his black hair cascading around his shoulders, his breath coming in small gasps, but still the gleam of power hung in his eyes.

He raised his wand, the dark brown wood with streaks of black, in the direction of the Weasley twins who were busy defending themselves against the onslaught of other curses.

Slowly, he pointed the tip in Fred's direction, a bright green beam shooting off the end, heading for the oblivious half of the two. George's brown eyes widened in horror as the streak of death headed straight for his twin, who was just turning to see his death come speeding at him.

George leaped from the ground, his body arcing in a graceful bend, his legs propelling him into the air, his frame flying over Fred's just as the curse hit home. A small smile was on his lips as he faced his twin in the last second, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears. And then, his limp form crashed into the floor, never to move again.

xxx

She was drowning in a fiery hell, no escape possible. Screams echoed in her ears, the sounds of her comrades falling one after the other, but she could do nothing to help them, the pain to great. Her own piercing cry added to the din, tears streaming down her face. And then, the pain vanished, as did all the screams, yelling, and fighting into a dark, black abyss.

"Got you, Draco," said Lucius almost playfully, advancing on his son who was now lying on the ground in a full body bind. "I never had the chance to do this earlier…crucio." No new screams were added, Draco having to lie and bear the pain silently as Lucius laughed above him, enjoying the sight of torturing his son.

Pansy crashed into Lucius, the spell lifting off of Draco, as he jumped to his feet, his blow catching his father in the stomach. With a wounded cry, Lucius cast the Crutacius Curse again, catching the younger Malfoy entirely off guard and he went down to his knees, the pain overcoming his senses.

Pansy fell to the ground next to him, knocked unconscious from one of the Death Eaters. Soon, Draco found himself falling into a forced unconscious, his body no longer able to keep awake, the last sound he heard his own screams.

"What should we do with them Lucius?" asked Dameo, stepping over the bodies of the caught escapees. "Do we just bring them back to their cells and pretend that this never happened. None of them are dead, all just knocked out."

Lucius glared with contempt at his son, taking in the large bruises that dotted his skin, the marks of his own hands. "Come now Lucius, there's no time for that," said Dameo, watching as his partner looked at Draco with a lusting passion. "Later, but not now."

The blond tore his gaze away from his heir and looked at the damage caused by a few escaped prisoners. Several Death Eaters had been knocked unconscious by well aimed attacks by the unarmed students and large gaping holes were in the marble.

"Take them back to their cells," ordered the older Malfoy. "I'll go see how Marlin did with the other group." With a swish of his cloak, Lucius strolled down the hall towards the scene of the first battle.

"NO!" screamed Fred, dropping to his knees, then being hit effectively with a stunning spell, falling next to his dead twin. Harry leaped up, but was shot down with several different spells before he could reach Marlin.

The murderer of George Weasley looked up as he heard footsteps coming down the hall at a lumbering pace. "How did things fare here, Marlin?" asked the silver-blond eyeing the mess made disdainfully.

"Very well," said the black haired man, tying his hair back again. "One of those Weasley twins is dead, I'm not sure about the one underneath the ceiling blocks. Potter and the other twin were successfully stunned. How did yours go?"

"As well as can be expected. None dead, but all stunned. And we didn't ruin as much of the building as your group did."

Marlin snorted but ignored the last comment and moved over to the pile of rocks that covered Ron. Shifting some aside, he found the red head, wrist bent at a weird angle and large cuts covering him, but otherwise alive. "He made it."

"He did?" Lucius sounded genuinely surprised, moving in to look at the knocked out Weasley. "Well," he said, his eyes looking at the large injuries, "I do think that one death wasn't enough for this bunch to get it. We'll make an example with him. Bring that one to a separate cell and keep him isolated. The execution will be held tonight, be ready." Malfoy senior turned and walked down a separate corridor, headed for his own guest chambers. "Till tonight," he whispered to himself. "And after that... a visit with my son."

xxx

"What happened?" asked Hannah with a groan, holding her head with her hands in hopes of calming the raging headache. It was then she realized that she was the only one awake. But it looked like the cells had been divided differently.

She and Ginny with Pansy were in this cell. Fred, Hermione, Neville, and Lavender were in the cell across from them. She would guess that Malfoy was in the cell next to theirs and she could see Harry diagonally across the way. But where were Ron and George?

A small moan escaped Hermione as she sat up, gingerly clutching her chest where a small burning tingle still remained. "Mione? Are you alright? What happened?" asked Hannah, bringing her face up against the bars.

"I-I don't remember. Just that everyone was screaming and then everything went black. But yeah, I'm alright. You?"

"Fine. Hey, do you know where George and Ron are? I don't see them..."

"That's cuz they're not here. Malfoy's here... he doesn't look so good."

"Of course he isn't," said Pansy hoarsely, "His dear old dad put him under the Crutacius Curse. I tried to stop him but..."

"It's okay, Pansy," said Hannah, smiling gently at the girl. "He'll be alright."

A frantic yell shook the silence that had prevailed in the cells. "George," said Fred in a panicked yell, "Where's George?"

"He's not here," said Hannah softly.

The other twin gave a howl like a wounded animal and slammed his head against the stone wall. "Fred! Stop that!" exclaimed Hermione, rushing over to the redhead who was giving himself self-inflicted damage, and attempting to jerk him backwards to no avail.

"HE CAN'T BE DEAD! HE CAN'T!" screamed Fred. "IT'S ALL MY BLOODY FAULT! ALL MY FAULT!" The three girls exchanged worried glances. "Where's Ron?" he asked, momentarily stopping his head banging.

"He's not here either," said Hermione, getting ready to stop Fred from hurting himself again. "What happened."

"THAT BASTARD KILLED HIM! HE KILLED HIM!" His spurt of energy gone, Fred sank dejectedly down to the floor, tears streaming down his freckled cheeks. Tentatively, Hermione put a hand on his shoulder, trying to offer comfort, but still not completely understanding.

"Who killed who?" she asked, tears already starting to form. No one had died yet, it just didn't seem real. They were supposed to be invincible, hang together until the end. Had both Ron and George died? It couldn't be possible.

"Marlin killed George," said Fred bitterly. "He was aiming for me and George stepped in the way. I'm not sure about Ron, he got buried under a lot of ceiling." A sob escaped Hermione, the tears having been unleashed. Pansy pulled Hannah into a hug as the Hufflepuff started to cry softly, feeling the loss of her friend greatly.

Hermione hugged Fred in hopes to comfort both of them, he clung to her like a lifeline, his nails digging into her arms but she took no notice. When Ginny awoke and heard the news, she burst into loud sobs, the Slytherin pulling her into a hug, holding the young girl as she poured her heart out.

"So the Weasley bunch is up," said a voice, a smirk growing on his face. "Did you all hear the news? Delightful isn't it?"

"YOU!" yelled Fred, throwing himself at Marlin who stood just out of reach in front of the cells. "YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!"

"But my dear boy," said Marlin, his smirk growing, "You have no reason to kill me...yet. I'm sure you will when I'm done with your younger brother." He chuckled, the laughter ringing off of the walls.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO RON?" screamed Hermione, now standing next to Fred, her hands clenched angrily around the bars. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

"Nothing yet," he laughed, "But all too soon he will be wishing he met the same painless end as the other Weasley. He'll be begging for death when we're done. And the best part," he added gleefully, "You get to see his death. Until tonight then."

The rest of the day was spent in comforting each other, all trying desperately to think up a plan to save Ron from this unenviable fate. But not one single idea popped up, it was a hopeless situation. The only person left out of the mourning was Draco, still locked in a world where only he existed, pain rolling off in waves of his dream self, nightmares raging through his mind. And that's how they stayed until Marlin came down the hall, an evil, leering smile on his pointed face, as he had each person bound and tied, then led to the site where Ron would meet his end.

**Ron's POV**

"Get up," growled the man who was standing above me, his coal black eyes flashing with impatience. When I didn't make a move to rise from the stone floor, his booted foot crashed into my side before he wrenched me up by my hair and then dragging me off down the hall.

I had already learned of my fate, the death they had planned for me. But I didn't have one tear to shed for myself. They had all gone to my older brother when I heard them laughing about how Marlin had done him in. They'd burned his body, the ashes scattered.

I'm not sure how I'm going to die, just that they're going to make an example of me. When Lucius Malfoy decided on making an example of someone before it was going to be a swift Avada Kedavra. I don't think that's going to be the case for me.

My wrist is still throbbing, I can tell it's broken. But I'm going to assume that is the least of my problems. Hell, I'm about to die at age eightteen, not even having graduated Hogwarts. I'll be leaving my little sister with one brother, and maybe more if Bill or Percy is still alive. I know Mum and Dad were killed at the start, same with Charlie. My once huge family is dropping in numbers.. We're all dying for the cause of our belief in the light.

"Hurry it up," snarled the guard, tugging at the rope which was tied to my bound wrists. I suppressed a cry as my broken wrist was yanked forward, the bones grating against another. But I refuse to show weakness, I won't give them the satisfaction of hearing me cry and beg for my life. I know they won't give it, so why bother?

The man dragged me up onto a platform, the same one that Pansy had almost been murdered on, the one Malfoy had been branded by his father as a traitor. Yanking on the rope, I was jerked forward and then pushed to the ground so that I was on all fours, the pressure on my wrists almost unbearable.

"Your friends should be arriving soon," he hissed, his rancid breath blowing in my face. Picking my head up a fraction of an inch, I turned so that I would be able to see my family and friends come in, knowing that they would be forced to watch my death. A few seconds later, yelling was heard from the passage and Harry emerged, being held by two guards, ropes bound around his frame, pinning his arms to his sides. His emerald eyes flicked up to me, anger and helplessness evident.

Next came a Death Eater carrying my little sister. As soon as she saw me, her eyes widened and her struggles became even more violent against her captor. "RON! RON!" she screamed, tears pouring down her face. The Death Eater was quick to cast a silencing charm on her.

Hermione and Pansy came next, being marched in front of the guard named Dameo if I remember correctly. Hermione's eyes welled up with tears as she saw me, Pansy's face softened, looking almost pained, before both of them were forced onto their knees next to Harry and Ginny.

Fred and Lavender then came, Lavender thrown over one of the guard's shoulders and Fred being dragged along on ropes. As soon as he saw me, he threw his weight to the side to catch the guard off balance, started for the platform, before being hit with a stunning spell in the back.

Another guard entered dragging Neville by his hair, the Gryffindor putting up an amazing fight. In the end, the brown haired guard grew impatient with Neville's struggling and hoisted him over his shoulder, carrying him in.

Hannah was brought it, putting up no fight, seeing as it looked like she had a body bind on and was floating about a foot off the ground. Last came Lucius Malfoy, one hand clamped on Malfoy's shoulder, the boy whiter than normal, attempting to remove his father's hand with no luck. Once he was forced to kneel with the rest of them, Lucius's hands resting on the younger Malfoy's shoulders, Marlin entered the room, his robes twirling around him.

Boldly, he marched onto the stage next to me and the other guard, then turned to face his audience. "I assume you all know why you are here?" he asked pleasantly, a sick smile plastered on his face. "I can assure you, this will be a most enjoyable experience."

"As you might have guessed," he continued pacing back and forth, "A warning of what is to come to all of you shall you try to escape again is about to be held. Ronald here," he said, placing a hand on top of my head before I shook it off, "Has generously volunteered to be the example made. Now watch closely all of you..."

With a flick of his wand, a black, corded rope lay in his arms, the coils glistening in the dim torchlight. Drawing a knife off of his belt, he cut away my shirt, leaving me in only my tattered black pants I'd been wearing when we were captured.

So I was going to be whipped to death? Honestly, doesn't sound like much fun... Probably pretty painful too. But I will not give them the pleasure of my screams. If they want those they can hear them when I decide to haunt them for the rest of their miserable lives. Wait, I forgot.. I had to leave part of myself prior.. Damn. Well, maybe I can contact Myrtle or something.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Marlin step behind me, raising the forbidding whip in a high arc over his head, then bringing it down with lightning speed. I bit through my lip, coppery blood tainting my mouth in an effort not to scream.

Again, he lashed down, the cord making another welt in my pale skin, a deep bruising purple would form later. That is, if I lived...Which I'm pretty sure I won't..

Hermione's sobs reached my ears, the sound heart wrenching. _'Don't be crying for me,'_ I thought, wishing she was a telepath. _'I'll be leaving this place, while you're still stuck here. Don't cry Mione.'_ All I wanted to do was take her in my arms, Ginny too, and give them both a hug, letting them know everything would be alright.

Tears welled up in my pale blue eyes, but I wasn't crying for myself. I was crying for the miserable lives that would befall my friends. Even Malfoy and Pansy. At least I could die knowing my family had loved me, I had been cared for, I died with a purpose. Malfoy would pass away, the knowledge of never having been loved, the abuse his father put him through, the suffering in his life, clear as day.

Gradually, everything began to darken and blur around the edges, my bound hands became blobs of peach skin with a brown thing wrapped around them. Just as I felt myself falling into a black void, the painful feeling of someone yanking me to my feet by my hair thundered through my head, the welcome blackness fading away.

"Do you really think it would be that easy?" asked Marlin, staring right into my pain-glazed eyes. "Did you?" he questioned, shaking me angrily. I merely remained silent, determined to not utter a word. My whole body felt as though it had been through some of those thorny bushes we'd had in the backyard. My back was ripped open and raw, blood dropping to the floor in the steady streams.

His fist came and caught me right in the face, and I reeled backwards, but because of his grip on my carrot hair, I flew right back towards him. "STOP IT!" screamed Harry, vainly trying to escape the guards. "LEAVE RON ALONE!"

Marlin turned to face Harry with an amused expression on his cold face. "You do know Potter that one of the reasons his death is so painful is he was close to you. I must say, the Dark Lord does love to torture you so."

With ease, the murderer of my brother, dragged me over to a tall wooden pole that had been set up in the middle of the platform. Pulling my wrists above my head, he bound them to the stake, tying my feet as well. I was too weak to protest, my limbs not obeying my mental commands.

Moving his wand around in a circle around the stake and me, a glowing red circle was formed, a barrier from me and him. With a flick of his wand, a large pile of hay appeared at my feet, the old moldy kind that catches fire really quickly. It was then I realized how I was going to die.

Almost ironic, seeing as in the middle ages all of those accused of witchcraft were burned at the stake, and here I was, being put to death like those in the past by wizards. "Adustum," he said, bright orange flames shooting out the end of his wand and landing in the hay which my feet were standing in.

Screams, not my own, echoed around the room, none believing I was going to die this way.. I was going to be eaten alive by fire, burning and scorching its way through me, the smoke being sucked in through my lungs... I was going to die, but I would not scream as my body was burnt away.

Lifting my eyes up, I met the gaze of Harry, his emerald shining with tears. _'Take good of my sister,'_ I tried to say through my eyes. _'Don't give up Harry, I believe in you.'_

I traveled down the line to Ginny, ignoring the searing pains running up my legs. _'Watch out for yourself Gin. You still have Fred and Mione.. Don't give up hope, I'll always be with you...I'll always love you, no matter what.'_

_'Hermione,'_ I thought, looking at the disheveled brunette, her milky brown eyes meeting my own. _'You've always been there for me, thank you so much. You've helped me, I only wish I had been able to return the favor.'_

_'Pansy, we may not have known each other for long, but you are a wonderful person who showed me that not everyone is what they seem. Watch out for my sister, she's taken a shine to you.'_

My gaze moved down the line, tears steaming silently down my face as I looked at my last remaining brother, or at least the one I was sure was alive. _'Fred, I'm sorry for all those cruel things I've said to you and George. I never meant any of them, it was all just teasing. You can call me Ronniekins as much as you want…I love you...'_

'Hey Lav, it was great getting to know you these last two years. We were never that close before, but you were one of those people who I could confide in when I couldn't go to Harry or Hermione. You're a gentle, sweet girl.. It was an honor to be your friend.'

'You've always been a loyal person Neville. You were willing to put yourself in danger to protect us and I'll never forget the vulture incident with Snape. That's one memory I'll always treasure.'

My chest felt as though it was being impaled, my breathing became more difficult as the tears streamed down my face, not able to stop them. _'Hannah, we never got to talk much, but as far as I see you're one of the nicest, most caring people I've ever met. Take good care of yourself.'_

Silver eyes met with blue, the silver actually shining with unshed tears. _'Listen here Malfoy. I want you to watch over my family, take care of Ginny for me. I know you can lead us out of here, make sure you do. I've always secretly admired you, despite all of the things you've said about my family. You have a stubborn personality, and don't take any crap from others. Watch your back and take care...Draco...'_

My vision took in one last hazy image of my adopted family, the image blurred by smoke and tears. _'I'll meet you all again someday, hopefully not for a long time though... Good bye...'_

I felt the tongues of fire leap upon my face, choking on the immense black smoke, before everything started to gradually get dim, the screams and cries echoing in the back of my mind, but the gentle voice of my parents calling out to me in melodic voices. With one last breath, I allowed myself to go towards them... towards a better place. My only regret.. My friends are still out there fighting for their lives.

xxx

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**Author's Notes:**

**Poll: Did you cry? **I had to ask. My twin always bawls when reading it and I made my dad cry (mind you, he only read this chapter) andone of myother friends we've presumed heartless since she didn't shed a single tear.

Now, onto more serious matters. I was almost considering not posting...Last chapter got a grand total of. -drumroll-11 reviews. The original version was getting in the 40's. I know you old readers want new chapters, but other people are just starting and I'm not going to overwhelm them. So I'm hoping for a bit more support this chapter.

Also, some of you were saying how you wish it was the orignal...this is the original, almost. I'm using the same files, just re-editing a few things, but tis basically the same. So don't worry, nothing major is changing.

So, see you next Saturday (some of you tomorrow for PC) and please review! n.n Bye!


	4. Accepting Comfort

**Disclaimer: I'll just keep wishing...**

**Black is Our World**

**Accepting Comfort**

We were forced to kneel there, our knees digging into the cold stone, our bodies going numb. But none of our agony was even close to what Weasley had to endure. Tears were streaming down his face, hissing as they fell into the raging fire that was slowly consuming him.

Beside me, Hannah Abbot, was sobbing loudly, her eyes glued to the gruesome scene being played out before us, wanting the dying boy to know she was with him. Tears were silently pooling in my own silver eyes, my entire being wishing that he wasn't the one that was up there.

I should be dying right now, not him... What has Ronald Weasley ever done to deserve this painful death? Nothing, not one single bloody thing. His sister needs him now, his brother too. They already lost one of their family today, why do they need another?

I'd felt his piercing blue eyes look into my own, and when he'd done that I'd felt... different. Like I'd been forgiven, like I was free. He seemed to be trying to convey a message to me, and although I didn't quite get it, I know someday I'll understand. But for now, I'm going to do something a Malfoy has never done before. I'm going to care for someone other than myself.

Minutes later, the dancing orange and red flames had made their way up to the top of the wooden stake and Ron's body was no longer visible. Marlin strode forward and muttered a spell under his breath.

At once, the fire disappeared and the only thing left of Ronald Weasley was the black and gray ashes resting on the platform. "Do you see this?" asked the black haired man, letting the ashes fall through his fingers. "This is what is left of your pathetic friend. Take them back to their cells, none of them will put up a fight."

And none of us did. We were all just...frozen. I was shoved roughly into my cell by Father who merely grinned and strode off down the hall. Potter was just led into his and all the rest were herded into theirs. I growled softly under my breath when they put the two remaining Weasleys in separate cells.

Pansy immediately went over to Ginny and wrapped her in a hug. The red head took the comfort and began to sob into the Slytherin's shoulder. Hannah joined them and put a hand on the Gryffindor's shoulder.

Across the way, Hermione had Fred wrapped in a tight hug, her tears mingling with his own. Neville was holding Lavender, offering what little comfort he could give to the distraught girl. Harry was openly sobbing, banging his head against the wall every few seconds.

And me? I drew my knees to my chest and allowed the tears that I'd been trying so hard to stop fall. And once I started, it didn't seem like I'd ever stop. I cried for Ron and George, both who had died so young...for their friends and family who had lost them...for all of the other victims of Voldemort's reign...for myself and what I knew was going to happen. I had sensed it when Father had looked at me after throwing me into my cell. And the worst part is, I can't avoid it...

"Listen up everyone," said Hermione, her voice shaky. Her hands were still wrapped around the remaining Weasley twin, his head buried against her thin frame. "I know we're all hurting and I'm not going to pretend everything is all right. But let's all go around and say something in remembrance of George and Ron Weasley..." It was then she broke down again, tears streaming down her face.

"I'll go first," said Ginny, wiping a hand across her face. "First of all, I'd like both of them to know they were the best brothers a girl could ever wish for. And that I love them both..." Taking a deep breath she continued. "George was always trying to make me smile, not ever wanting to see someone sad. Ron was always there for me, my playmate when no one was around, the one I could trust with all my secrets. And I'm going to miss them both so much!"

"Neither of them should have died here," said Pansy softly, her hands running through Ginny's tangled hair. "I'll admit, there were times I wanted to kill them both at school for a prank or when Ron would get house points. But now... Those things are in the past and if wishes did work, I'd be sure to ask for them back."

"Ron was a wonderful, caring person," said Hermione, her voice cracking slightly. "He always knew what to say to make me feel better and showed he cared in the simplest ways. I remember how I befriended him...he rescued me from a troll back in first year. I met George when I was at school and just grew to love him. He was so funny and comical but if you needed to talk, he was serious. I loved them both like brothers, and...and..." She didn't need to say more; we all understood.

"Both of them were wonderful people," said Neville brushing away a tear. "I'll never forget how I was the first person to test a canary crème made by the twins or how Ron encouraged me to stand up for myself. Hopefully with happy memories like these we'll be able to get through this..."

"I never knew either that well," said the Hufflepuff. "But from what I saw both were fiercely loyal to their family and friends and would do anything to keep them safe from harm...and they took that to the ultimate today..."

"I started to really get to know Ron in the beginning of sixth year," said Lavender softly. "I remember finding him curled up by the fire...crying. I asked him what was wrong and he said nothing. But over time I got to learn things about him... How he was jealous of his older siblings, his regret for not being able to help Harry... And we just talked about things at night... I remember George as a practical joker, always being yelled at for his experiments. And it's a shame that those two aren't with us any longer." Her piece said, she went back to leaning her head against Neville's shoulder.

"I'll never forget Ron's friendship," said the emerald eyed boy, his eyes red rimmed behind his glasses. "He welcomed me, the first person my age who ever showed me friendship. We've had our arguments throughout the years, but he's been there for me the entire time, not once leaving my side... And now he has..." Harry took a calming breath and then said, "And George was one of the people who carried my trunk onto the train the first day. He always had a light-hearted nature and just strived to have fun. He gave me Maurder's Map, which has come in handy countless numbers of times. And saying how much I'll miss them will never be enough.. Nothing will ever be able to replace them or make this pain go away. Because in a way, this is my fault."

"Don't say that, Harry," said Hermione softly. "Neither of them would have wanted you to blame this on yourself..."

"George was my second half... my best friend," whispered Fred. "We were always there for one another, whether it was taking a blame, pulling a prank, goofing off...We were inseparable. Mum used to joke we should just be joined at the hip and I remember him saying that that wouldn't be any fun, we wouldn't be able to cause as much trouble if there was only one set of legs. Then she started chasing us around the house with her rolling pin." A small smile crept onto his face at the fond memory.

"Ron was our only little brother. He was normally the scapegoat for our mischief but he knew we loved him anyways. During the summer, we'd always go out and play quidditch and just horse around. Both of them meant everything to me, and I love them both with all my heart..." More tears started down his freckled face.

"I'm not going to sugar coat anything," I said softly coming into the little conversation. "I still think George pulled too many pranks and Ron really wasn't that great of a keeper, but I won't argue that they were wonderful people. They both stood up for their family and I regret saying all of the things I did now...both were strong in both body and heart and for that I admire them."

Silence hung in the air after my words as everyone gained strength from each others. "Draco," said Hermione quietly. "Thank you..." Her honey brown eyes met mine and I gave a small nod, pushing away the tears. But she had already seen them and a small smile touched her face. "It's all right to cry... no one will say anything..."

"Oh really, Mudblood? Well aren't you just one to talk." Looking up, I was met with the icy glare of my father, his silver orbs brimming with disgust. "I've never known a Malfoy to have feelings, Dragon... Too bad you had to be the first."

His hand reached inside his robes and he came out holding a ring of keys. On instinct, I slid away from the cell door towards the back wall, my eyes wide in terror. There was no sense in denying it... I was terrified of Father and trying to persuade myself otherwise wasn't working. But hell if I let him take me again...

Inserting the key into the lock, he entered the cell, his tall form bearing down on me. "Are you afraid, Dragon?" he asked, running a hand through my blond hair. "There's no reason to be..." I sat perfectly still, my body rigid. So far, nothing dangerous had happened but I had to be ready to make my move when he made his.

When his right hand left my hair and started to travel down my arm... that was enough for me. Bringing my knee up, I kicked him firmly in the gut and attempted to move out of the corner I'd backed myself into.

Easily, he caught me around the left arm, his hand closing over the mark he had branded into my skin the night before. With a howl, I tried to wrench it out of his grasp but he slammed my head against the wall just like last time and prepared to throw me over his shoulder. But I wasn't done yet.

I sand my teeth deep into his arm, smirking inwardly at the shriek he gave. But before I could even enjoy my short lived victory he pulled me off his arm by my neck, holding me in the air.

Desperately, I brought my hands up to his and attempted to pry them off of my throat to bring in the air I needed. Limply, my arms dropped back at my sides as black dots began to cloud my vision and the only thing I heard was Father's laughter ringing off the walls.

His grip loosened right before I was about to pass out and he threw me once again over his shoulder. Exiting the cell, he locked the door and was about to go down the hall when an angry voice yelled out.

"Put him down, Lucius!" screamed Hermione. I raised my head and twisted it around, just enough so that I could see her. The brown haired Gryffindor was standing at the front of her cell, hands wrapped around the bars, an angry gleam in her eyes although still filled with tears.

"Let Draco go," said Harry quietly, rising to his feet inside his own cell. "He doesn't deserve this... Please just let him go..."

Lucius snorted and then chuckled. "And do you actually think I would listen to the likes of you? He is my son and I will do whatever I want to him."

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" came her strangled cry, now joined with the others, as she slumped down to the ground. I attempted to give her a small smile before Lucius rounded the corner and they were lost from view.

A tear gently caressed my cheek before falling to the floor as I realized that they actually cared. They had actually asked my father to let me go, risking their own lives at the time. If he hadn't been looking so forward to the next few hours, I'm sure he would have killed one of them.

He brought me back into the same green carpeted room. Throwing me on the bed, ropes automatically bound my hands and ankles to the head and foot board. He moved over to a cabinet in the corner and came out with a bottle of wine.

Pouring himself a glass, he watched my futile attempts to free myself from the coarse bonds with a smirk of satisfaction. "Don't bother, Draco, no amount of twisting and turning is going to break those ropes."

I had to agree he was right. The movement was making the threads rub my skin raw, my wrists already aching. "Such a nice display today, wasn't it?" he remarked casually, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

"You bastard," I growled, trying to raise myself to a sitting position and failing miserably. "He didn't deserve that... no ones does. No one but you," I spat, eyes flashing dangerously. "And look at you. You're so weak you feel the need to tie me up so you can have your fun. Am I that much of a threat to you?"

"Oh no, Dragon, you're no threat at all," he said, setting the empty glass down and settling himself on the side of the bed. "I just don't feel like having to chase you all around the room again."

"How can you do this to anyone? To your own son?" I begged, tears streaming down my cheeks once again. "How can you just rape me and enjoy it? How can anyone even live with the feeling of hurting someone like this?"

"Simple, Draco," he said, lips brushing softly against my cheek. "Watching others suffer makes me and most others feel powerful... in control. And as long as the victim was pleasurable, the evening was not wasted."

"But why?" I cried hoarsely. "Why can't you just care about me? Love me like a father should? Why do you treat me this way?"

"Crying is not becoming of you, Dragon," he said, brushing the glistening tears off of my pale cheeks. "Dragon's do not have emotions and neither should you. So stop this crying now. As for your questions, I am not a normal father. I do things my way to gain my own pleasures. And if you make me happy, Dragon, then so be it."

His hands started to once again roam over my body, kisses being planted along my neck and I could do nothing to stop it. Squeezing my eyes shut tight, I wished I was anywhere but here... anywhere...

I felt material pool around my ankles and my eyes still remained tightly closed, imaging a happy place... a happy world. One with a father who taught me how to ride a broom, a caring, gentle man who I could talk to... A mother who would comfort me when I got hurt, was always waiting with open arms when I got off the train. If only a world like that existed...

Pain rippled through me, but still my eyes remained shut. If I could pretend this wasn't happening, then maybe I could get my brain to believe that small fact too.

Digging my face into the pillow I screamed, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of hearing my anguished cries. The thrill he already got was more than he needed. After a while, I became aware of being the only one left in the bed.

Removing my tear stained face from the piece of cloth, I saw Lucius sitting in a large armchair in front of the roaring fire, his hand once again holding a glass of blood red wine. The same color as the crimson liquid that surrounded me, soaking into the sheets.

After noticing my ankles had been untied from the footboard but still tied together, I brought them up to me, curling into a ball for my own comfort. The blond haired man looked over at my new position and smirked.

"What's the matter, Dragon?" he asked, "Was I too hard on you?" In response, I buried my head into the crook of my arm and winced as I heard him leave the chair and walk across the room towards my huddled form.

His hand gently picked up my left arm, his cold fingers running over the mark. "It is such a pity, Draco... You had such potential to be in service to the most powerful wizard on Earth and yet you turned him down. Why?"

Timidly, I moved my head out of my arm so I could speak clearer. "Because he treated me as a person, not a servant to do his bidding. That's why I'm loyal to Dumbledore, not Voldemort," my voice growing stronger with the more I said.

"I can not believe this is the son I raised," he snarled, hand slamming into my face. "Some pathetic weakling who puts his trust in some muggle loving fool. You're worthless boy. WORTHLESS!"

He untied my wrists and ankles knowing I was to exhausted to run and threw me my boxers. "Put those on if you want them," he growled. Hastily, ignoring the pain in my lower region, I pulled on the shorts. "But you don't get these," he hissed, throwing my perfectly good pair of pants into the fire. "Now come here, Draco."

Slowly, I got out of the large bed, now covered in blood, and unsteadily made my way over to him, not sure what he wanted from me. "Sit down, on the floor, Dragon. I don't want any of this expensive furniture to get soiled... We'll be having a visitor soon and you will talk if you value your life, Dragon."

"The problem is... I don't..." I said softly, hugging my knees to me. "I don't care if I live or die anymore..."

"Such strong words, but are they true?" hissed the new person who had just entered the room. I whirled around, my body strongly protesting with the movement, to look right into the bright red orbs of Voldemort.

"My Lord," said Lucius bowing. "I do hope this one will be of some use to you... The girl certainly wasn't."

"You're quite right, Lucius. And it seems as though you already have him partly broken to say the least, excellent." The long, bony fingers reached out and yanked me up with immense strength, surprising for one looking so fragile.

One of the skeleton looking digits traced a cut down my face, smiling as blood pooled underneath his finger. "Such a marvelous thing, is it not Draco?" he asked, licking his finger. "Such a mere liquid means so much..."

I didn't answer, not having a clue of what to say. "I can promise you this, Draco," he said, hand running over the traitorous mark on my shoulder, "If you cooperate, I can promise you no more harm will come to you... Where is Albus Dumbledore?" he asked after a moment's pause.

"I don't know," I said evenly.

"Where is Albus Dumbledore?" he repeated, nails brutally digging into the tender burned skin on my left arm. I turned my head away from him, my answer of I didn't know.

"You will answer the Dark Lord," growled Lucius, striking me across the face. "I am sorry Master, he always was a stubborn child."

"It is all right Lucius, please rise..." Father stopped bowing and instead stood a little to the right of his lord. "I understand that this boy has strong loyalties... unfortunately to the wrong side. Bring him to the ball room and give him a good beating. I want to go visit a little friend of mine."

"You leave Harry alone!" I shouted as I was thrown over Father's shoulder. "Don't you dare go near him!" Voldemort merely smirked, his scarlet eyes dancing before I was carried out of the room.

**Harry's POV**

The whole hall was thick with grief and sadness, and I feel that it really is my fault. Hermione says I shouldn't blame myself... I was only seventeen, not quite ready for an attack by a Dark wizard. It wasn't my fault I was marked as the victim, not my friends' fault for just wanting to be with me. What really got me though was when she said Ron wouldn't want me to blame myself... He'd want me be strong for the others.

Footsteps echoed down the deserted corridor, headed straight for us. A sharp pain exploded in my forehead and I knew at once who was coming. "It's...Voldemort," I gasped, hands clamped firmly over my scar.

The reactions of my fellow prisoners were quick. Pansy shoved Ginny into Hannah's arms and stood in front of both, easily being the strongest of their group right now. I couldn't see what was going on in the cell next to mine, but I know Neville or Hermione is up front. I myself drew back as far as I could, the pain starting to become unbearable.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Voldemort was standing right outside my cell door, red slitted eyes staring into my own emerald, his face a large sneer. "And this is what has become of the famous Harry Potter? I must say I've done such a good job on you, Boy."

With a wave of his fingers, the door slid open and he entered the bare cell, his steps purposeful. I could do nothing... I was paralyzed by his maddening glare, terrified of his wand which was pointing casually at me, the absolute power he held. "Not the savior everyone expected, are you?" he asked, one hand gently touching the lightning bolt scar. "Such a shame... Letting down the whole world...I'm sure you must feel guilty, Harry... so very guilty..."

_'Get away from me!' _I screamed inwardly, flinching as his hand continued to stay on my head, the pain building with every second. _'Don't touch me!' _

"Don't you just want to die, Harry? Even though you can't see it, all of your so called friends hate you... despise you. You failed them, Harry, you are the cause for their suffering.

"Stop saying that!" yelled Hermione. "It's your fault you ugly, disgusting, foul-"

"ENOGUH!" roared Voldemort, exiting my cell and going over to the brave Gryffindor's. "No one speaks to me like that girl... no one. _Crucio_!" Her screams bounced off the walls and I heard her drop to the ground.

That was the last straw. I feel guilty and now I feel worse... Leaping to my feet, I ran out of the cell and charged Voldemort, ignoring the bright agony that burst in my head as my hands wrapped around his throat.

But he merely smiled and with strength I never knew he possessed, I was thrown off, slamming against the bars of Ginny's cell. The only good thing was because he was distracted at least the curse was lifted off of Hermione...

"You've grown that weak, Harry?" he asked, picking me up by my raven black hair. "Torturing you wouldn't even be fun... You'd probably die out in the first few minutes. Besides, I don't want to kill you... yet."

Easily, he tossed me back in my cell and left cackling down the hall. First thing I did was start to massage my forehead, the pain gradually starting to lessen. Was he really going to kill me? Of course... the prophecy says that only one of us can live... I'll just have to get out of here before then.

"Are you all right, Harry?" came Lavender's soft voice.

"Yeah... How's Hermione?"

"I'm fine, Harry," she said weakly. "I'll live... It wasn't so bad..."

Once more the sound of footsteps came down the hall and defense positions were taken. But instead of the snake faced man, Lucius Malfoy came, an unconscious Draco thrown over his shoulder. After tossing him in his cell the man walked off, a satisfied smirk on his face.

It was pretty easy to tell what had happened... again. Dried blood was on the inside of his legs, just like last time, but it looks like Lucius decided to go all out in torture this time...

Long, thin lashes covered his back, worse than Hermione's had been. Long cuts ran up his arms and probably his chest, I couldn't see it, from knives of some sort, all bubbling the crimson liquid.

Nail marks were also all over his body as well as horrible blue and black bruises. His wrists and ankles were bright, shiny, pink skin... I could tell he must have had something wrapped around them. He was now only in his black boxers, pants having disappeared.

"He's not going to make it through the night," said Hermione. "He might if he had a small amount of treatment... but I don't think they're going to help him..." One of the guards strode down the hall, glaring into every cell.

"Time for you little brats to shut up and go to sleep," he snapped. "Lights are going out in five minutes."

"Excuse me," said Hermione softly, her voice wavering in fear. "Draco isn't going to live if he doesn't get some treatment and I was-"

"Are you trying to tell me what to do, bitch?" he growled, moving over to the cell next to mine.

"N-No...I just..."

"Let the girl treat him, Cameo," drawled Marlin, coming out of the shadows that fell over the hall. "If he dies I'm not sure Lucius is going to be very happy. He is his favorite you know..."

With a mumbled swear underneath his breath, the man named Cameo opened the cell door. "Come on girl, and no funny business..." Roughly, he grabbed her around the wrist and dragged her over to Draco's cell after locking hers. Throwing it open, he pushed her in and locked it. "I'll let you out in the morning," he growled before turning on his heel and storming away.

Marlin approached and handed Hermione a bowl full of water and a towel. "I'm only doing this because if that boy doesn't live... then neither do I." In my opinion, our best bet would be to let Draco die and then have Marlin killed. But the fact that we'd be killing an innocent strikes me as wrong...Who wants to have blood on their hands when the life could have been saved? The answer is easy. No one...

**Hermione's POV**

Kneeling down next to the bloodied boy, I gently rolled him so that he was lying on his stomach so I could treat his back. Even looking at the long welts made me nauseous... they were more than twice as worse as my own.

He gave a small moan as I lowered the dampened towel onto the injuries and I felt my entire heart go out to him. Looking at him now, I wasn't even reminded of the Slytherin bad boy.

His face was a mask of pain, the lips drawn tightly and eyes squinted shut. The blonde angelic hair fell over his forehead, the tips turning red where they touched the blood that oozed from cuts all over him.

"Shhhh, it's okay," I murmured, delicately washing each laceration. "Hermione's right here and isn't going to let anything happen to you..." Suddenly, the torches that lined the hall shut off and we were thrown into blackness.

Crap, how can I see what I'm doing? Knowing the bad luck Draco's been having, I'll probably just end up hurting him more. For the next few seconds, I allowed my eyes to adjust to the lighting until I was able to make out Draco's form.

Over the next three hours I continued to work on him at a steady pace... Washing and cleaning his cuts, tearing the towel into bandages to wrap around his bigger and deeper injuries, wiping away all the blood... Until soon he was practically blood free... Some of his slashes still bled as did the area between his legs. But no way in hell was I going to take a look at that without his permission.

Deep breathing filled the chamber around me, save for two. Ginny's was accompanied by small whimpers and I could only hope that Pansy or Hannah were holding her to comfort the small girl. Draco's breathing was also different... It sounded strangled, like he was having trouble getting air.

Currently, he was lying on his back, head resting in my lap as I leaned back against the rough, stone wall, the days events playing in my mind.

It had started off as normal...except then we had all decided to escape... George was killed in the attempt and Ron...tears came unbidden to my eyes at the thought of my friend. He'd been burned on the stake and we were forced to watch until he was but a mere pile of ashes. Then Draco had been taken away and this had happened to him. And just to finish the day, Voldemort had come by to pay Harry a visit.

I was dragged from my reminiscing by the movement of Draco's head as he began to wake up. Seconds later, his silver eyes opened, pain and fear filling every fiber. "It's okay, Draco...it's okay," I said comfortingly, my hands running through his silky hair.

"...Hermione?" he whispered after a moment, his breath catching in his throat. "Where's...Father?"

"Not here," I answered gently. "Just me... Don't move, okay? You got some pretty bad injuries and I want to make sure they seal up... What happened to you, Draco?" I asked after a pause.

He gave a short laugh, stopping when blood started to dribble out of his mouth. Picking up the towel from where I'd set it on his stomach, I wiped the mess away and waited for him to continue.

"Father raped me again," he said, wincing at the words. "Then Voldemort came and started asking me where Dumbledore was. I told him I didn't know and then Father took me away."

"He did this to you?" I asked, indicating all of the wounds.

"Yeah... A whips, some knives, and a wand go a long way, Mione... Do you mind I'm calling you that?" I shook my head, tears filling my eyes. The way he had asked was so innocent, so like a child...why would anyone want to hurt him like this? How could anyone gain such pleasure in destroying a person? "Why are you crying, Mione?" he asked hoarsely, looking into my eyes.

Sniffing, I wiped away the water that coated my cheeks and gave him a small smile. "I just realized how much I truly care for you, Draco... You and everyone else... None of us deserve any of this and I just feel guilty because...well, I'm alive and George and Ron aren't..." A tear dripped off my cheek and fell onto his face and he wrinkled his nose reminding me of a rabbit.

"Don't feel guilty," he said softly. "Do you think either of them would have wanted you to mourn over their deaths and wallow away in grief? No, they wouldn't have. They'd have wanted you to be strong for the others..."

Wow, I think that's the nicest thing he's ever said to me before. Longest thing too... "Why do you think they want to know where Dumbledore is?" I asked out of the blue. "What interest do they have with him?"

He gave a little shrug and grimaced. "Who knows...You should get some sleep Hermione, you're going to need it. But before you do... why are you over here?"

"You probably would have died if you didn't get treated, Draco. I've done the best I can, but I'm not a real nurse..."

"Mione?"

"Yes?" I asked, yawning and leaning my head against the wall again, almost ready to fall asleep.. It had to be past midnight by now..

"Thanks."

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

I almost forgot to update. I completely forgot that today was Saturday. I'm quite sick, so I guess getting BOW up wasn't on my top priority list. But I fortunately did remember, so yay!

As to a question of reviews...no, I will write a story no matter the review count. What dissapointed me was A. I know this story is better than that and B. on the webbie whereI had chapter two hosted, more people (many more) viewed it then actually left reviews. I know this because I have a counter enabled under site statistics and I was counting the people who visited. So that's the main reason why.

If you'll notice, I left the part with Lucius and Draco in here this chapter b/c it wasn't (in my opinon) graphic at all or explicit. And also, I might kill more people. I had someone ask if I wouldn't, but I'm afraid that since these chapters are already pre-typed and I have an outline, I have to finish with the deaths I have planned. Gomen. T.T

As always, reviews make the authoress happy! So if you'd like to press the pretty periwinkle button down there, I'd be much obliged. And any virtual cough drops you can send would be great too...I'm out and my throat is killing me. :P


	5. Fall of the Chosen One

**Disclaimer: Still belongs to the wonderful JKR**

**Black is Our World**

**Fall of the Chosen One**

Shifting in my sleep, I snuggled closer to the warm object that was lying next to me, basking in the heat it gave off. But instead of the sweet scent of the bed warmers my mother used to put under my comforters to keep me warm, this one smelled like blood, sweat, and dirt.

Rising my head off of the cold stone floor, the present situation came to hand, the memories of my bedroom vanishing quickly. The heat source had been Draco who had snuggled up against me in the night, probably to get some heat. No wonder why either, barely wearing anything…

Now that the torches had been lit, I could get a view of what my attempt at healing him had been. The pieces of towel I'd used for bandages were all stained crimson, but it was dry showing that the wounds had closed.

His blond hair was matted to his head by blood, but that was the least of my concerns. The lashes on his back, after turning him carefully over, I saw had begun to seal up and thankfully none seemed to be infected. His eyes were squinted shut in pain and his whole body was stiff. If I ever got the chance, I would definitely kill Lucius.

With a small moan, he moved slightly in pain as one of my hands delicately ran over one of the many whip marks. His skin was gentle to the touch, much like a dove's wing, and snow white as well. Removing my hand, I felt a tinge of guilt coming over me as I realized I'd caused him pain.

One brilliant silver eye cracked open, the second following slowly. "Mione?" he asked, a wince crossing his fine features as his raw throat spoke. "Do you have...water?" Nodding, I attempted to help him sit up but his icy glare stopped me. Planting both hands on the floor, he pushed himself to all fours and then fell back so he was leaning against the wall. "I'm not completely helpless."

"Of course you're not," I replied, bringing the small cup of water I'd found in his cell up to his pale, pink lips. "But you need to rest and regain your strength. Let me help you, Draco." Grudgingly, he allowed me to give him the water and then rested his head weakly against the wall.

"Why are you here?" he asked after a second as I started to untie the blood soaked bandages from his arms. "Why did you help me? How did you get here?"

"So many questions," I said softly, "and so many answers. Well, I'm here because I was trying to heal you. When you came in last night, Draco you were basically half dead. I wasn't going to let someone else I care about die in here."

"You care about me?" he asked, grimacing as my hands unwrapped another piece of material, my nails lightly raking across the delicate flesh. "What have I ever done to deserve this kind of treatment from you, Hermione? It would have better to just let me die," he said bitterly, tears coming to his eyes. "All I'll ever be good for is a toy for Father to play with."

"Don't you dare ever say that again, Draco Malfoy," I said firmly, pulling his chin up so his silver orbs looked into my honey brown. "You're one of the strongest people I've ever met. You have talents inside you, Draco and I trust you to use them to help us. If you listen to Lucius, you will become no one. But you're not going to believe him, are you?" Slowly, he shook his head, the blond locks shifting slightly.

A smile made its way onto my face and using my thumb, I brushed away the gathering tears on his pale eyelashes. Leaning forward, I gave him a soft kiss on his cheek before quickly pulling away and busying myself with his bandages once again.

A steady blush was rising on my cheeks, and I tried my best to let my knotty, brown hair, cover my face to hide the coloring. I have no idea why I just kissed him, none at all! Maybe it was just the sad aura around him, or maybe it was... No, that's absurd. I do care for Draco and like him to an extent, but love him? That's just silly.

Risking a look out of my curtain of hair, I saw that his face had remained the impassive white, but the small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth made me think he liked the kiss. "Ummm... Draco? Could you lie down on your stomach? I need to look at your back..." He complied instantly, lowering himself as gently as possible onto the ground once more.

The red coloring that had started to fade began to spread once again as I cleaned out the injuries. This had been so much easier when he had been unconscious and unable to know what I was doing. Now I was freaking out about hurting him, and since it was the hall was lighted, I was able to fully look him over.

Despite the fact that he'd been starved for days, save the small bits of food the Death Eaters would give him to keep him alive, he had a body to admire. The skin was stretched across his bones from lack of food, but he still held an athlete's slim figure, the body slightly muscular but not at all like some of the other boys.

One might call his looks slightly feminine with the thin hands, pale skin, long lashes, and narrow face, but no matter what you used to describe him, he was truly one of the best looking guys I'd seen. He stiffened under my gentle touch as I rubbed the damp towel over his cuts. "Sorry," I whispered, realizing I was hurting him again.

"It's... all right," he gasped, trying to relax his body and make it easier for me to clean his wounds. When he was tense he tended to scrunch up his back and make it hard to treat them. "It just...stings."

A few minutes later, I dropped the soiled rag into the bowl of water Marlin had given me and sat back on my haunches. "You can get up now...I need to check out the wounds on your...ummm...chest..."

Again, he obeyed and rolled over so he was still lying down but now on his back. "Go about your work, Doctor," he smirked, trying to make the atmosphere not seem so bleak. "I trust you."

Once more, I began to clean out his injuries, feeling a small sense of pride in my meager medical abilities. I mean, if he hadn't had my treatment last night, he would probably be dead right now.

"You never answered my question," he said after a second. "Why are you helping me?" He picked his head slightly off the ground so he could look at me, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"I already told you, I care about you Draco. It isn't in my nature to ignore someone who needs help. And as for why I'm doing this for you in particular it's because of the first reason and because everyone deserves a second chance. You got yours when I found out you weren't working for Voldemort."

He remained silent, contemplating what I had just told him. Thinking it over, Draco has been changed since we've gotten here. Scratch that, since I saw him running out of the castle months back and saving that girl's life. Not saying she was alive now, but at that second it had mattered.

It amazes me of how strong I've been since Ron's death. I think what Draco said to me last night, about Ron and George wanting me to be strong really struck a nerve. They were dead; there was nothing I could do for them. But for the others we still had a chance of survival and I'm going to use it to its fullest capacity.

Footsteps echoed hauntingly down the hall until the heavy booted steps stopped outside of Draco's cell. Marlin's pointed face leered in at me, the black eyes sparkling with maliciousness. "Time to go back, Girl," he said, opening the metal barred gate. "And don't try anything funny because you'll be dead before you even know what hit you."

I rose to my feet and allowed him to clamp a hand roughly around my arm and drag me back to my own cell. After Marlin left, another guard came by and started to hand out this days meal. But something tugged at my heart with a feeling of unease as he stopped in front of Harry's cell.

"You're going to need this today, Potter," he spat, chucking in a hunk of bread. "I daresay though it won't be of much help." The raven haired boy wolfed down the food, not one crumb being spared. Gulping down some water to wash away the stale taste, he sat back with a small smile.

My concern mounted for Draco when the guard passed right past him, not offering one small bit of food to his diet, which consisted of nothing. Taking the bread the guard had given us, I divided it into pieces for the members in my cell, Fred, Neville, Lavender, and myself. Gobbling down my piece, I saved a small part of it to give to Draco when I got the chance.

Slowly, the others in my cell started to rise and I told them what Draco had told me about being strong and they all nodded, Fred having a gleam of life return to his eyes. "At any cost I'm going to make sure that the rest of us make it out of here alive," he said, giving me a small hug. "No one else is going to die."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," drawled Marlin, leaning idly against one of the walls. "You don't want to know what the Dark Lord plans on doing today...It would make you all heart broken."

"What's happening today?" growled Harry, coming to the front of his cell. I could see his hand clasped around the bars, the knuckles turning white in anger. "What the hell does that bastard want now?"

"You shall not speak about our Lord like that," snarled Marlin, raising his wand in Harry's direction. But then he brought it back to his side, an amused smile playing over his face. "I think I'll let you go this time, Potter...You're today's amusement and I wouldn't want to make you too weak to even participate." With one last smirk, he strode off down the hall, his chuckles ringing down the corridor.

"Harry? Do you know what he meant?" asked Pansy worriedly, twisting her black hair around her finger, a gesture I learned she did when she was scared or nervous.

"No...I don't. But whatever it is can't be anything good," he said softly. "I know we should be thinking positive, but I have this weird feeling like something really bad is going to happen today."

"Me too," I added, my unease growing. If Harry felt the same feeling it might be possible something really was going to happen. "And I don't like it. I almost already feel...a sense of loss...like I lost part of me."

"I feel it too," said Ginny, her bright eyes still shimmering with tears that she had not yet shed. "But I don't want anyone to die! Haven't we already lost enough?" She burst into sobs and both Pansy and Hannah began to comfort her again.

"It's going to be me," said Harry quietly. "I can just feel that something is wrong...They gave me food, Marlin's warning...Voldemort is planning something, I know it."

"The prophecy!" exclaimed Lavender. "That has to be it!" Earlier, we had explained the deal with the prophecy we'd discovered in fifth year to all of us being held captive. We felt it was fair to let them know what we did if we were all going to be struggling together. "Remember how it said one of you must kill the other? That must be what Marlin was talking about!"

"I don't want you to die, Harry," wailed Ginny, burying her face against Pansy's shoulder. "No more!" The older girl smiled sadly down at the youngest Weasley, tears beginning to leak from her own eyes.

"That's too bad," said Dameo, appearing out of nowhere. "All of you are to proceed to the ballroom with no arguments. If you fight we automatically kill you, hopefully you know what's good for you."

Following Dameo came several more Death Eaters, all wearing sadistic smiles and long black robes. Unlocking my cell first, I allowed Dameo to bind my hands behind me as did my other cellmates. I could see Fred wanted to fight but he wasn't going to die and leave his sister all alone.

After my cell, they did Ginny's and Draco was pushed roughly out of his cell, putting up no resistance whatsoever. Harry was pulled out, kicking and punching for he knew that they wouldn't dare kill him...that was Voldemort's job. Eventually, they managed to tie his hands together and we were all led down the hall into the dreaded room.

Here is where we saw Ron die, Pansy almost murdered, and Draco get branded. This large, circular room held nothing but bad memories for all of us. Standing up on the stage was Voldemort and next to him was Lucius, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Pettigrew.

"Bring them all over there Dameo," instructed the ruby eyed man, gesturing to the far wall. But bring Potter and Granger up here." The guards complied by dragging Harry's form up and merely leading me. "Kneel," he commanded to me and one of the guards shoved me to my knees.

"Now listen here, Potter," the Dark Lord said, making his way over to Harry who was still standing. "You are going to be untied and given a wand. Your wand..." Reaching into the folds of his cloak, Voldemort removed the familiar wand that was twin to his own.

"We are going to have a wizard's duel, Harry," he said eerily calm. "If you try to attack anyone other than me, then Dameo will have no second thoughts on killing your friend." A wand was at once pushed against my head and I turned fearful eyes to Harry. "Do you understand?"

"Why are you doing this?" asked the emerald eyed teen. "Why are you giving me a chance to kill you?"

"Because if I murder you in cold blood it wouldn't give me the satisfaction I want. If you do kill me Harry, I will allow you and your friends to go free with the exception of Draco," he said, nodding his pale face in the blonde's direction. "Lucius doesn't want his son to leave quite yet." Lucius smirked on the stage and a low growl emitted from Harry's throat. "Are we in agreement?"

"Fine," Harry spat, flexing his wrists the second the guard untied him. He turned to face me, an unspoken apology hidden in his eyes. He knew he had no chance against Voldemort but would go down trying. Tears came to my eyes as I realized I might lose yet another person close to my heart.

Harry's wand was given to him and both he and Voldemort marched off ten paces before turning around and facing each other. My eyes were riveted to Harry, even in the sense of death standing strong. His green eyes sparkled with determination, his wand held ready, with feet posed to move.

"Ready when you are, Harry," called Voldemort almost cheerily, the sound worse than anything I could ever have imagined. The monster Harry was fighting also had a stance of power. The flowing black robes that moved though there was no wind and the piercing red stare was enough to make most turn tail and run. Not Harry...

"EXTERMINO!" screamed Harry, a burst of red, orange and yellow flames, coming from his wand and heading straight for Voldemort. The man merely laughed and sidestepped the curse, raising his wand for an attack.

"INFLATUS!" yelled Voldemort, a bright jet of yellow coming from the tip of his wand and crashing into Harry before exploding. When the smoke cleared, Harry was standing on the stage, the wood surrounding him charred and black but he unharmed. Silently, I cheered him on for using the blocking spell we'd learned.

"Think you're smart, Harry? You are only prolonging your defeat...attonbitus!" The spell slammed into Harry and he fell to the ground, unable to move any inch of his body. It was similar to a stunning spell but the effects lasted longer.

"Now what, Harry?" asked Voldemort, striding towards the fallen teen, each footfall signaling a step closer to death, a step farther from life. My heart began to pound harder, crystal tears coating my cheeks. "Now what? You've let them all down, Harry. Because of your weakness you are about to die and let them suffer until they too are killed by my hand."

"That's what you think," muttered Harry, his eyes filling with tears. "But I know my friends will figure out how to get out of your lair, Voldemort. You can't stop them!" It seemed as though the stunning spell had worn off when Harry suddenly rolled to the right, the booted foot narrowly missing his hand.

Rising to his feet, he held his wand firmly in his right hand, much like a sword. "You listen to me, Voldemort," he panted, voice cracking slightly. "You might kill me or make the others suffer but we'll eventually get out...You can't stop us."

"I do believe I can," he chuckled. "Avada kedavra!" Harry dunked just in time, the bright green curse sailing over his head and slamming into the wall behind them, dust and chunks of stone raining down.

"You're going to die, Voldemort," growled Harry, rising victoriously from the rubble. "Because I refuse to let my friends down! Avada kedavra!" Harry's spell collided with the temporary shield the Dark Lord had just created, the blue force shattering but leaving the user of it unharmed.

"Nice try boy, but this battle is mine...Avada kedavra!" Harry dodged again, but was unprepared for the second killing curse Voldemort sent flying at him. I screamed in open horror as the curse came barreling at Harry, who was rising from the floor and unable to defend.

I don't know if it was pure luck of if some God was out there, but one of the rubble pieces crashed down, taking the blow for Harry. "Doesn't look like that blow quite made it, Voldemort," said Harry, a grim expression on his face. Blood trickled down from a cut on his cheek and his clothes were torn in several places but the teen didn't show any signs of giving up.

"You were lucky, Harry," sneered Voldemort, his eyes narrowing in anger. "But believe me, it won't be happening again." Voldemort aimed his wand at Harry. "It was a fun duel but it is time it ended. Your death is coming, are you scared?"

"You wish," smirked Harry, mimicking the same line he'd said to Draco back in second year when they'd had their duel. "Dying doesn't frighten me, Voldemort...it's what you do to my friends that makes me scared."

"Then you can die now with no regrets," snarled the black robed man. "Good bye, Harry Potter." The wand fired off another jet of green light that flew past Harry, crashing once again into the wall. "AVADA KERVADA," bellowed Voldemort, another spell aimed at my best friend. This one also missed, not even by an inch.

This continued on for several minutes until Harry lay panting on the floor, struggling to rise to his feet. The days of being deprived of nourishment had made him weak, much to weak to continue fighting.

Turning his head to me, the emerald orbs stared straight into my own eyes, pleading a silent message that I clearly understood._ 'You have to get out, Hermione. Don't worry about me, just get the rest of us out.' _

"This is the end," said Voldemort, standing right next to Harry, one booted foot pressing into his back, preventing him from rising off the ground. Still his eyes stayed locked with mine, tears streaming silently down.

A small smile came on his face, as he looked at me, love shining in his eyes. "Bye, Mione," he whispered, just loud enough for me to hear him, the tears coming faster. Voldemort raised his wand and shot out the curse, instantly ending my best friend's life.

The smile was still on his face, the tears still dripping down his cheeks although no new ones came to join them. I now openly wailed, my hoarse cries joined by Ginny's and slowly some of the other members in my group.

"Take them back to their cells," ordered Voldemort. "And then dispose of the body, it holds no use to me." Death Eaters hurried to obey their master, Dameo forcing me to my feet and prodding me back into my cell when all I wanted to do was lie down and cry.

Fred pulled me into a hug the second we were untied and Lavender fled over to Neville, now one of the only guys left. All of the guys were trying to be strong but I could tell that they weren't succeeding. Fred had wrapped both arms around me and I could feel his body shaking with sobs. Neville held the crying Lavender, tears streaming down his face.

Across the way Ginny was being hugged by Hannah, while Pansy sat next to the redhead, her arms wrapped around herself in an attempt at self comfort. Draco sat huddled against the wall of his cell, knees drawn up and head buried in them, his silver blonde hair hiding his face. I'm not sure if he was crying, never having been on good terms with Harry, but it was obvious he was upset.

"What's wrong?" drawled a familiar and hated voice. "You all can't be that upset that your precious Potter finally met his end." I looked up from the ground, my gaze holding nothing but raw fury at the sneering man standing in front of my cell.

"You bastard," I growled. "What do you want now?" Lucius laughed and glared at me, the silver eyes slits of ice.

"You really are a foolish girl, aren't you Mudblood? What else would I be down here for but my son?" Stalking over to Draco's cell, the threw the door open, pulling the teen up by his hair. "Let's go Draco," he snarled, expecting a fight. But the Slytherin allowed his father to drag him down the hall, no argument at all. Seconds later, they were gone.

**Draco's POV**

All I felt was a numbness...no pain, no hurt...nothing except a numb feeling. The rug had been pulled out from under my feet, the wool from my eyes, what ever description I cared to use, my world had just been turned upside down.

When Harry had been alive we'd stood a chance. A small one mind you, but a chance. Now that he was gone, what were we to do? All of us; me, Hannah, Hermione, Pansy, Neville, Ginny, Fred, and Lavender would rot away in the cells.

Even the prospect of having another evening with Father did nothing to frighten me or make me feel any emotion. I was led into the room and thrown on the bed, yet I did nothing to resist. His hands started to roam over my chest before a chuckle was heard.

"You're very eager, aren't you Lucius?" Father stopped his caresses to look up at the intruder in his private room. Turning my head slightly, I caught sight of the one and only Voldemort, sitting in front of the fire. "Doesn't look like young Draco is fighting you much this time is he?"

"My Lord," said Father, getting off the bed and bowing down to the seated man. "May I ask what you are doing here?" Kissing the bottom of the robes, he stayed in his kneeled position until Voldemort beckoned for him to rise.

"I hope you do not mind my intrusion, Lucius, but I have something very important to discuss with you. Can Draco wait a while?" With a curt nod, Father made his way back over to me, taking a small vial out of his pocket.

"Drink this Draco," he ordered, pushing the foul smelling liquid to my mouth. "Now..." I complied, knowing it wasn't poison, but didn't swallow it all. My eyelids started to sink closed, my body refusing to move. "It is a sleeping draught my Lord. I don't wish for him to overhear us."

"Very good, Lucius," said Voldemort, beckoning for Father to sit by him. Seeing my eyes closed, he made his way over to the Dark Lord and poured them both a cup of wine. Spitting the rest of the potion out, I strained my ears to pick up on their conversation.

"What is this about, my Lord?" asked Father, leaning in slightly. The firelight played over both of their faces, giving them a half skeletal look, the wine sparkling like the blood they had spilt so many times. "Is it about Harry Potter?"

"Not quite, Lucius," the lord said, staring into the flames. "It is about the second prophecy. The one we have not yet been able to recover. That old fool knows," he snarled, suddenly slamming his hand down on the small table causing wine to slosh over the top of the glass.

"Easy my Lord, we will find him. Albus Dumbledore cannot hide forever. Soon enough one of the prisoners will crack and inform us of his whereabouts. And then we will capture the old man and force him to tell us."

_'What do they want with Dumbledore?' _I wondered,_ 'And what is this about a second prophecy? I thought there was only one...' _

"I hope you do not mind my asking, my Lord, but what is this prophecy about again? Why must we find Dumbledore to get the information?"

"Because Lucius, the fool destroyed the prophecy. He wrote it down and memorized it, then ruined it. It has been lost to us forever until we find him."

"But what is it about, my Lord? Surely you must have at least a small idea..." said Father, his eyes shining with anticipation.

"I do Lucius. But you must promise to not let any others of our own know, do you understand?"

"I gave my life to you Lord. Your secret is safe with me," he said, bowing down once more. "If I fail to keep my promise my life lies in your hands."

"Stand up Lucius, I don't like to see you all groveling at my feet. I thought you were proud, not a dog." I couldn't help a small smile from creeping onto my face hearing my father being reprimanded, but it quickly faded as I realized what the situation really was.

"The prophecy was similar to the first one, Lucius. As you know, the first one said I must destroy Harry Potter, the one I marked, or he must destroy me. We know who the victor of that small battle was." They both started to laugh and I felt anger growing inside me from their heartlessness over the loss of one of my classmates.

"What it tells us," continued Voldemort, "Is that there is one other that stands in my way. Unfortunately, that is all we know. Not age, gender, name...nothing. It must be in a riddle, like the last one, but only Dumbledore knows, and that is why we must get it from him."

"What about giving one of the prisoners veritaserum? I'm sure if you were to give one of them the truth serum they'd open up rather quickly."

"We already tried to give it to that Mudblood girl, Granger I believe. She realized what we were trying to do from the start and refused it. I don't think we would have any more success with any of the other prisoners."

"What about Draco? We could just slip some in him right now...He's under a sleeping potion and once he has the veritaserum I could just give him the antidote to wake him up. Would that work my Lord?"

"I do believe it would...Please administer it to him, Lucius...Let's see if this gets us the answers we desire." I heard Father's feet walk over the green carpet and open the small cabinet on the side wall. The gentle clinking of glass bottles followed by the sigh of satisfaction.

What the hell was I supposed to do? If I stayed still and pretended to be asleep, they would get the answers. Not sure if they would be right, but they would definitely at least found out about Grimmauld Place and that might be where Dumbledore is.

Or I could choose to fight, probably the best option, but that would let them know I was awake and had heard the entire conversation. But that's better then telling them any secrets I may have known.

A shadow fell across the bed and I forced myself to relax, getting ready to strike when the time was right. The sound of a bottle being uncorked and the swishing of liquid let me know the potion was about to be administered. Something was pressed against my lips and my head tilted back so I could swallow. That was my cue...

With a snarl, I pushed the bottle away with one hand, the shattering of glass sounding as it crashed against the metal bedpost while at the same time bringing me knee up and catching Father firmly in the gut.

Giving off a sound of pain, my hair was grabbed and I was thrown across the room, head slamming against the fireplace. Father advanced on me, wand drawn while Voldemort watched with amusement.

This could be it...We might be able to escape if I played this right...I slowly rose to my feet, a sudden burst of energy flaring inside of me. My hands clenched into fists, my eyes narrowed dangerously.

His hand dived into his robes and came back out with his snakehead cane. "Game's up, Draco," he snarled, removing the decoration from his weapon. "You're going to take the veritaserum whether you like it or not."

"I've got other plans, Father," I spat, getting into a pouncing position. "And they don't include you!" With a lunge, I attempted to wrestle the wand away from his steel grasp only to be flung aside.

"And my plans involve figuring out where Dumbledore is...and you are part of it! _Crucio_!" Waves of blinding pain seemed to roll off my body and I crumpled to the floor, biting my lip to keep from screaming. As soon as I opened my mouth I knew they would give me the truth serum and I couldn't afford to take it.

Hands pushed my convulsing frame to the ground, forcing my mouth to open. "LET ME GO!" I screamed, thrashing and tossing my head in hopes to dislodge their grasp. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" My pleas fell on deaf ears as Father continued to dig his nails into my tender skin, drawing blood with every single one of my convulsions while my body still screamed in agony from the Crutacius Curse.

Another set of hands joined the fray as Voldemort pushed the bottle of clear liquid to my mouth. There was no way I was about to lose...no way in hell. If they think they're going to win because of a simple potion, they're sadly mistaken.

"GET OFF!" Throwing one leg up, I caught Voldemort in the back and continued to hit him, still trying to get Father off of me. But he was much bigger and it was no contest to see who had the upper hand in this scuffle.

Tears of frustration and hurt poured down my cheeks, mixing with the blood from the cuts Father had just inflicted. Managing to get one arm out of Father's grasp, I slammed it upward, smiling through my tears as blood spurted through his nose.

On instinct, he took both hands off to clutch his broken nose, but that was all the break I needed. Giving a final kick to Voldemort, I grabbed the black wand and tore out of the room while the two men got up to follow me.

Flicking it at myself, a pair of black pants formed over my frame as I continued to run, my bare feet pounding against the cold stone with the sounding of boots close behind. Taking a right turn, I raced down the passage that should lead me back to the cells.

The occupants must have noticed something different about the footfalls because they were all clustered at the fronts of the prison cells. "Alohmahora!" I shouted, aiming the spell at the lock on Hermione's cell door. It really is quite surprising that was the charm Death Eaters used to keep the secret prisoners tied up...such a simple one to break. Then again, the probably never imagined one of us getting hold of a wand.

"GET THEM!" bellowed Father, racing down the hall with a spare wand in his grasp. "DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!" Guards poured out of every entrance into the holding cells, all armed with wands and not afraid to murder.

Raising my wand again, I prepared to open the other cell when suddenly, the wand wasn't in my hands anymore. "Get out of here!" shouted Fred, pushing away one of the robed killers. "Get out of here, Malfoy! You can get help! Go!" Giving me a push towards the exit I suddenly felt someone latch onto my arm, but not in a hurt sort of way.

"I'm coming with, Draco," Hermione said, her eyes sparkling with determination. "You can't expect to get far all alone..." A spell crashing near my ear was the reminder I needed to keep moving or get hit.

"Then let's go," I said, pulling on her arm and dragging her behind me. I saw the others in Hermione's cell, Fred, Lavender, and Neville, doing their best to distract the guards so we could escape, risking their own lives in the process.

Managing to get to a side hall, we raced down, my heart beating rapidly, the power rush I'd gotten beginning to fade. Entering into a red carpeted hall I'd never seen, Hermione began to lead me, turning left into a room that branched off into multiple passages.

"Now what?" I gasped, leaning against the wall, my knees trembling weakly and threatening to give out at any second. "Which one?" In response, she took my arm once again and pulled me through the nearest door, which led to a large wooden one.

Cautiously sliding the door bolt off, the Gryffindor pushed it open, wincing as it creaked loudly. But the bright sunlight streaming in told us of another story besides the dangerous world in which we lived.

Golden rays neither of us had seen in such a long time landed on our faces, the beams caressing and bathing us in their warmth. But aside from the sunlight, the world had turned ugly. No vegetation was in sight and hard packed dirt covered the ground.

Stepping out of the building, we only just realized how big it truly was. The great stone structure spread for yards, no windows noticeable on any part of it. About forty yards stood between us and freedom...but first we had to pass through the huge wall erected around the building and all of the guards on duty.

If anything, they'd be sending out the patrol to look for the both of us in even bigger numbers than what normally patrolled the grounds. They especially needed to get me back and quiet before I told anyone else the information I'd gathered on the second prophecy.

"What should we do?" asked Hermione, pulling the tattered shirt about her, eyes hastily scanning around us for Death Eaters.

"The only thing we can do right now, Hermione. Run and hope for the best."

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

**5/2- Yes, this chapter was uploaded Saturday, but no alert was sent so I'm trying again. Let's hope it works!**

And that should be the last major character death for a while. n.n As someone asked, no Ginny will not die. Normally, I wouldn't give up that information, but I'm feeling nice. :P

Looks like Draco and Hermione are free...or are they? Hehe, those of you who know, no telling!

Also, someone asked when I update this fic. Look for a new chapter every Saturday until I run out of premade ones. Then, it'll probably be back to random updates whenever I have time.

If you could spare a few minutes of your life to leave a review, it'd be very much appreciated! And thank you to those of you who did so last chapter! It means a lot to me.


	6. Hope Isn't So Far Away

**Disclaimer: Still not owning...**

**Black is Our World**

**Hope Isn't So Far Away**

"STOP THEM!" bellowed Lucius Malfoy, throwing curses after the retreating pair down the hall. "SOMEONE STOP THEM!" But all of the Death Eaters were too busy trying to get the rest of the prisoners back into the cells to see the Slytherin and Gryffindor escaping.

I sat huddled in the back of my cell, Pansy's arm around me in a reassuring hug, trying to comfort me through all the fighting. Clouds of smoke obscured the battle scene and chunks of falling stone tumbled from the walls, nearly crushing several of the people below.

Stray curses shot into our cell, one hitting Hannah across the shoulder. Looking at her, I could conclude it was only a simple stunning spell and she would wake up shortly. My fear turned once again to the three fighters on our side in the hall and to Hermione and Draco, wherever they'd gotten to.

One hand clutched my ratted hair tightly, balling it in my fist and squeezing it, pretending it was one of the hooded men's throats. My eyes remained as large as saucers, my mind still trying to grasp hold of the situation.

Draco had come running down the hall, carrying a wand. I haven't a clue how he'd managed to get a hold of the magical item, but he did and using it he'd unlocked the other prisoners' cell door.

Immediately following him came Lucius Malfoy and several other Death Eaters, shooting spells at him as he turned to break open our gate. I guess one of the spells must have been a disarming one, because suddenly he wasn't holding his wand anymore.

I felt slightly disappointed that we hadn't been freed, but now all I feel is fear. That and panic. Would I lose the last remaining blood relative in this small, yet still deadly, fight? What would happen to the rest of my friends who'd been let out of their cells?

Gradually, the sounds of fighting stopped until only an oppressive silence reigned. When the dust and smoke from the battle had faded, I saw several of the Death Eaters still standing, all with wands drawn and eyes darting around the hall in case of a surprise attack.

One of them finally knelt down next to my brother's still form and muttered a spell. At once, a soft blue shimmer encased Fred, the only pretty thing I'd seen since we'd been captured. "This one's alive," he said quietly, the light vanishing. With another flick of his wand, he sent Fred back into his cell and I let go of the breath I didn't even know I'd been holding.

He checked the other two bodies lying among the rubble, Neville and Lavender, and the same blue glow surrounded them before he threw them into the cell with Fred. "What happened to the mudblood girl?" he asked, scanning the rubble. "And your son, Lucius?"

"He is not my son," snarled the blond haired man, retying his hair. "And they both got away. I tried to tell you but you buffoons seem to be incapable of hearing a single word being said. Go have the border patrol scan the grounds, they can't be far."

With a swish of his black cloak, now marred with dust from the crumbling walls, he stalked off down the hall with his head held high. The man who'd checked to see if my friends were alive swore softly before starting down the opposite hall, probably to warn this patrol Lucius referred to.

"What happened?" moaned Hannah, finally coming too. "Did I oversleep again?" Gingerly, she sat up clutching her head where it had slammed into the wall. "Oh no..." she whispered. "Is everyone all right?" Looks like she remembered...

"Hermione and Draco got away," said Pansy, her voice sounding awed. "Lucius sent out some patrol after them, but maybe...maybe they'll actually manage to get out of here."

"And all the others are alive," I said, nodding to the still unconscious figures in the cell across the aisle. "If Draco and Mione do manage to get away we might be rescued! Or they could try and find help. Especially Draco, he could use a good Pepper-Up Potion about now."

"Did they get out?" croaked Fred, sitting up from his spot on the floor. "Tell me Hermione and Draco got away. Even if they didn't, just tell me they did," he moaned, resting his head against the metal bars.

"Do you see Hermione in your cell?" I asked. "Because both of them escaped the building...I just hope they manage to get away from the group Lucius sent out after them," I said worriedly, twisting my hair around my finger.

In the next few minutes, everyone else had awoken and the situation had been explained. After telling it to Lavender, the last of us to wake up, the day's events seemed to catch up with me. The duel...Harry's death...Hermione and Draco escaping... It was all too much.

Silently, I began to cry, my tears splashing soundlessly to the floor. "Is he really gone?" I whispered, wrapping my arms about my thin frame. "Did Harry really...die?" When no one answered I raised my head to see why.

Both Pansy and Hannah were crying softly, the same going for the other three prisoners. "He...he can't be dead," I moaned, dropping my head back down to my chest. "HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO LEAVE US!" I screamed, throwing my head back against the wall. "HOW COULD HE LEAVE US?"

It seemed as though every small amount of anger, frustration, and sadness that had been building up inside since we'd come here managed to explode at once. I needed someone to blame...Someone...anyone...

"Why'd he go?" I repeated quietly, placing my head on my upraised knees. "Why did he have to?"

"He didn't stand a chance," said Pansy softly, her brown eyes sparkling with tears. "Harry was much too weak...not strong enough to even have a chance. But he gave it his all," she said proudly, her voice cracking, "And that's all we could have asked for."

"I think we should do another one of those memory things," said Neville. "It really helped me last time... It gives us all a chance to say something nice about him and let Harry know we still care and will never forget him."

"I'll go first," said Lavender sniffling. "Being muggleborn, I didn't know about the famous Harry Potter and what he'd done. So when I did find out, I remember being in awe and liking him just for that. But over time, I began to see him as a person, not just some hero. I still remember like it was yesterday all the fun times he and Ron had creating false visions in Trelawney's class...I miss them both but I know they'll live forever on in our hearts."

"When I first met Harry it was because I was accompanying all of my brothers to the station," I said softly. "I didn't find out the nice boy who'd asked us for help was actually the wizard I'd grown up hearing about my entire life. In my first year, he rescued me from the Chamber of Secrets, risking his own life for my own. And for all these years I've never stopped loving him...And I just want him to know I always will...I never got to say 'I love you Harry' and I wish I had..."

"Harry was always like another younger brother," said Fred. "George and I," he said, voice cracking at the mention of his deceased twin, "helped him put his trunk on the train that first day and were always pulling pranks on him and Ronniekins. We all took him away from his uncle's house in second year and were always standing by him, doing what we could to help him cope with Sirius's death...but everything comes to an end sometime...Harry's life just ended sooner than it should have."

"Harry was the one who told me I had to face my enemies and not let them walk all over me. At the end of first year though, it was me who stood up to Harry, Ron and Mione when they left to go rescue the Sorcerer's Stone. Over the years, he was always there to listen and talk, even respecting my parents when he met them at St. Mungos. And I admire him and consider Harry my friend for that."

"I remember Harry as always being brave and caring to everyone, except the Slytherins," said Hannah softly. "He was never afraid to back down from a challenge and even started D.A. when Umbridge was at Hogwarts. And even though I didn't know him as well as most of you did...I miss Harry too."

"I've always done whatever I could to torment Harry," said Pansy, "And now I feel awful for doing so. Not just because he died but because while he was here I saw that he truly was a wonderful person and was a lot like Draco in some ways. If I hadn't been put into Slytherin, I'm pretty sure we would have been good friends."

"Does anyone feel better?" asked Lavender, "Because I sure don't..."

I understood what she meant. It seemed as though huge pieces of our lives were being torn away as each of our loved ones disappeared, never to come back. The hole, which had started out small, was now the size of a large boulder, and each cut hurt more than the last.

"We'll get through this," I said grimly, surprised to even hear my voice. "Hermione and Draco won't let us down. After all, they are our last hope..."

**Hermione's POV**

"Any ideas?" the Slytherin asked quietly, leaning against the door we'd just closed. "Running straight out is sure to get us spotted but we can't stay here all day."

I turned to look at my companion, worry lines etching my face. Draco was in no condition to be moving, let alone running. Now that he had transfigured a pair of loose black pants on his frame, I couldn't see the injuries done to his legs, but I knew there were large gashes up the sides. If he ran on those, he could tear the fresh scabs open and possibly die from blood loss.

Already, several of his chest wounds had opened from the small fight and all the running we'd been doing through the fortress. What scared me the most though, is instead of having two bright patches on his cheeks, he was completely white, like he was going to keel over dead at any second.

"You shouldn't even be out here, Draco," I chided softly, going to lean on the door next to him. "Sit down for a moment and catch your breath," I instructed. "You rest and I'll think of something."

Taking my advice, he slid down the length of the door, leaning his scarred back lightly against the wood. I peeped once again around the corner of the right wall, glad that the door was set farther into the wall so we had a temporary hiding place.

Already, I could see several cloaked people going around the perimeter with their wands drawn and ready to kill. Fortunately, they hadn't seen us yet and I drew back into the shadows in hopes of keeping it that way.

By now, several other Death Eaters had joined the patrol from the other side and they were all meeting, probably to decide who went where. A small group of three branched off first, heading towards the direction Draco and I were.

"Draco," I whispered worriedly, voice bordering on panic, "There are some headed over here...What do we do?"

"How many are there?" he asked wearily, picking himself off of the ground.

"Three," I answered, fear growing as they headed straight for us.

"Hide right on the side of the wall," he said, positioning himself on the opposite side. "We'll have to take them by surprise." I looked at him, mouth agape, but realized attacking them was our only chance.

Slowly the small group came closer until I could hear their feet landing against the ground, the swishing of their cloaks in the light breeze. Against my will, my heart started to beat faster and my breaths started to come in loud gasps.

As soon as they were within two feet of us is when Draco decided to attack. Leaping off the ground, graceful as a cat, he tackled one of the robed men, while I ran out of hiding and brought my hands down on the back of another's head. Those karate lessons last summer really did come in handy...

By then, Draco had knocked his opponent out silently, and we both managed to pin the other down, before also sending him to the temporary world of darkness. "Damn it," swore Draco, "They all broke their wands."

"Just be lucky none of them made much noise," I said grimly. "If they'd called for help we would have been toast!"

"They still didn't have to break their wands," he grumbled, twirling the broken piece of wood between his fingers. As we'd learned in defense last year, if you were attacked and couldn't fight back, you normally broke your wand so your attacker wouldn't gain anything. Kind of like the Russian's Scorched Earth Policy in World War One. They burned all of their land and provisions and killed their livestock so the enemy couldn't use any of it.

"I have an idea," I said, a smile lighting up my face. "We can dress up like them and just leave. We'd definitely be less noticeable...It's worth a chance anyway. What do you say, Draco?"

"I think it's the stupidest idea I've ever heard you say, but it might actually work," he mused, a small smile forming on his face as well. Grabbing the Death Eater nearest to him, he started to pull off the long black robe until at last it was free, leaving the minion of Voldemort lying on the ground in just his pants and a long sleeved black shirt. I did the same with another one.

"It's too big," he complained, slipping the article over his head. And indeed it was. The material pooled around his feet and hung off his slender frame. When he pulled the hood on the top sagged down so that he couldn't even see anymore. "Just perfect," he muttered.

Mine fit a bit better than Draco's did, probably since I'd been getting fed and wasn't a stick figure. We were both about the same height though so I was still having problems with the material. "This will have to do," I said, pushing the hood off my face a bit. "Let's go."

Leading the way out of the enclosed area, a wave of apprehension swept over me. _'This was such a stupid idea! We are so going to get caught!'  
_  
But that wasn't allowed to happen. I know they'd hurt us badly for running and I honestly don't think Draco would last through the beating. He was already so weak, any other injury could make him die.

"Hey! Troy! Did you find them?" called one of the other border patrol members. I shook my head, hoping that that answer would be suitable. "Always short on words, aren't you?" he chuckled. "Go station yourself by the front gates. And by the way, where'd the third member of your party go?"

Giving a little shrug, I sighed in relief when he just waved us towards the gates with a bemused expression on his face. "It's working," I whispered to Draco, as he came up alongside me. "We might actually get out."

"Something isn't right," he whispered back. "Death Eaters never act like this... If we really had escaped they'd be pretty upset because if they didn't find us they could lose their life. And that one guy didn't seem particularly upset..."

Suddenly, a hand clamped down on my shoulder and I gave a slight jump. "Well well, what do we have here," drawled Marlin. "A couple of escaped prisoners perhaps?" Slowly, my hood was drawn back so I could now see several other Death Eaters standing in front of me with their wands drawn.

Tilting my head a bit to the side, I saw them unmasking Draco, who was putting up a pretty good fight of trying to break free from their grasp. Too bad it wasn't working. "Thought you were in the clear, didn't you?" snarled Marlin, gripping my shoulders rather painfully. "Doesn't appear like your grand escape plans went correctly."

Tears pooled in my eyes as I realized we'd let down our friends. Our one, brief moment of freedom was gone...we were caught once again. "I think a little lesson needs to be taught to each of you for running away, don't you think so?" he asked, turning to the other Death Eaters.

Loud chants and cries filled the desolate yard and I winced, already knowing I was going to be in extreme agony when they were finished with us. But Draco...My attention turned to my new friend, concern mounting. Two Death Eaters held him by his shoulders, their nails pressing into his bare shoulder since they had removed the cloak.

His eyes were closed, head bowed like he had already accepted the sentence laid out for him. "Don't hurt Draco," I said softly, staring at my feet. "What ever punishment you were going to give to him, give to me."

Marlin chuckled and then broke into full fledged laughter. "Did you hear the little mudblood?" he laughed. "She doesn't want to see Draco hurt." All of the men roared in laughter as if what Marlin had said was funny.

Draco picked his head up to shoot me a look of _'What do you think you're doing?'_. I just gave him a sad smile, knowing that I was stronger than he was at the minute and I would last through the beating.

"Because the mudblood seems so eager to save little Draco," mocked Marlin, "We'll just give him her punishment as well. After all," he sneered, "We want to cause as much injury as possible."

My mouth opened in horror as I realized what has just happened. "You can't!" I cried. "You'll kill him!"

"Don't worry, Mudblood, we'll make sure he lives. Kalite, tie up the girl, I want her to see this first hand." My stomach dropped as Marlin stepped towards Draco who only continued to look at the ground, his head hung in defeat.

"Please don't," I begged, falling to my knees as ropes tied themselves tightly around my ankles. "Don't do this...please don't hurt him." The long black haired man merely smirked over his shoulder.

"It's a shame really," he said, running one of his long fingers down Draco's cheek, "That I'll have to hurt you more. You never do learn from a beating, do you Draco?" he asked silkily, enjoying watching the boy flinch beneath his touch. "Let's get started than, shall we?"

Removing his wand from inside his cloak, he pointed it at the unmoving Slytherin. "_Crucio_," he said lazily, flicking the piece of wood at Draco. Immediately, he fell to his knees in pain but no sound escaped his tightly sealed lips.

The lack of response to the curse seemed to make Marlin angry as his face formed a deep red hue. "So," he said lifting the curse, "The Crutacius Curse isn't strong enough anymore, is it? Maybe I should bring you to Lucius...he'd get you to open up."

The emotion that flitted across Draco's face was clear...terror. And he had a good reason to be. Lucius showed no mercy to his son, hurting him in a way no one else would ever have been able too. Draco had trusted the man, the man who had hurt him, raped him, and made him the cold-hearted person I had always known before arriving here.

"Bring me some whips, would you?" Marlin drawled, the red receding from his cheeks. "Maybe if the boy can actually see the physical item he'll be hurt with we'll get different results." The men snickered and one stole off for the castle. My heart dropped like a stone, knowing that another member of ours might be lost today.

**Ginny's POV**

One Death Eater flew at a dead run past our cell, his smile one of sadistic pleasure. "Have you found the escaped prisoners?" came the smooth voice of Lucius Malfoy accompanied by the sounds of heavy breathing from the man we'd just seen.

"Yes Lucius, both the mudblood and Draco have been caught. They weren't hard to find," he chuckled. "There was no place for them to hide. Marlin has them right now, giving them their reward for getting out of the castle."

My breath hitched in my throat and I looked at my companions only to see that they had identical looks of worry on their faces. What was happening to Draco and Hermione?

"The funniest thing was," the man continued, "Was the mudblood offered to take Draco's share of the beating. Marlin decided that Draco could have both of their beatings and he's performing them right now."

"Excellent," breathed Lucius. "Make sure to bring him to my room when you're done with him and the girl. We have something to finish."

"It's too bad he had to be your son," the messenger said. "If I had such a pretty boy at my hand every time I needed a good fuck life would be perfect." My stomach coiled in disgust and I couldn't help but feel myself feeling even sorrier for the Slytherin.

Lucius merely chuckled and walked off down the hall while the messenger ran past our cells once more to go see the commotion happening outside. "Poor Draco...poor Mione," I murmured, tears welling up in my eyes.

"It's not fair," sobbed Pansy, her face buried in her knees. "Why can't they just stop? Why can't they just let us die in peace from old age. Why do they have to hurt us whenever they're bored or are in the mood? What have we ever done?"

"Nothing," said Fred gently. "We've never done anything to them but we are hurt because of our beliefs. Kinda reminds me of the Nazis and the Jews," he said as an afterthought.

"How did you ever learn about that?" asked Lavender. "That's a muggle war, I didn't know wizards learned about it..."

"I learned in Muggle Studies. The teacher was trying to show us similarities between the muggle bad guys and Voldemort. Worked pretty well...She said that Voldemort was like Hitler and the Death Eaters were the soldiers. We were the Jews, the ones being hunted. Difference is, we had the upper hand for a while..."

"I wish I'd taken muggle studies," sighed Pansy. "It all sounded so fascinating, like how muggles had contupers and stuff. But if any Slytherins were ever caught in a class where you learned about muggles they would have been sentenced from the group."

"A contuper," repeated Lavender. "Are you sure you don't mean computer? It's where you can play games and sometimes even go on the internet and talk to other people."

"That's it," said Pansy happily. "I once heard my father talking about the internet and how it would have helped their cause, but since it was muggle made Voldie wouldn't take the idea. Kinda stupid really...I would have taken everything that had been available."

"That's because you're a Slytherin," laughed Lavender. "All of you use any means to achieve your goals...At least that's what the sorting hat said."

"And that hat was right," said Pansy proudly. "We'll use anyone and anything to get what we want, even if it ends up hurting them in the process. Although now I guess I'm not so willing to hurt anyone."

Everyone nodded their agreement and we lapsed back into silence, each of us straining to hear some part of the activity going on outside. But all we heard was the deep silence that seemed to seep into your bones and never leave. Everything held a looming danger that cloaked us with its angry presence. You could never be safe...not here, not anywhere.

**Draco's POV**

I was lying face down on the ground, legs pulled up to my chest for as much protection as I could give myself. Sobs wracked my body as Marlin continued to stab the knife into my calf, blood spurting out of the deep wound.

My back had been torn open by the steel whip the man had used on me, the cuts bleeding and stinging without a shred of mercy. He'd stabbed the knife deep into my calf, making movement nearly impossible as the blade tore through the muscle and tissue, and was clearly enjoying hitting the same spot over and over.

Everything was starting to go slightly fuzzy although the pain didn't dull in anyway thanks to the curse Marlin had placed on me. It allowed me to continue to feel the brunt of the pain even after he'd finished his torturing there.

My chin was picked up and I stared at the pale man with glassy, pain filled eyes. Hermione's sobs reached my ears and I struggled to keep my eyes open for her. I knew if I allowed them to close they probably would never open again.

"Do you think we've gotten through to him yet?" asked Marlin, letting my head drop back to the ground. "I don't think he'll be going anywhere for a while. Bring them both back to their cells."

I was picked up with a levitation charm and led away. The sunlight disappeared after a few seconds as we entered the dark fortress of Voldemort. Roughly, I was thrown in my cage and the footsteps retreated.

"What happened to him?" asked Ginny, her voice sounding far away. "What did they do, Mione?" The girl's sobs echoed in the stone enclosed room as she wept for both of us.

"It was awful," she cried, now wrapped up in the arms on Fred. "He wouldn't cry when they used the Crutacius Curse so they started with whips and knives again. I don't know if he'll ever be able to walk anymore...Marlin stabbed him straight through his leg..."

The muted voice of Father reached my ears, which somehow seemed to be hearing better. "I'll just have my fun with him after he rests a bit. Damn it Marlin, why'd you do him in so bad? I wanted a chance too!"

"I was caught up in the moment," whined Marlin. "You understand...right?" Their voices drifted away and I was left with the sense that once again something wasn't right. My body didn't seem to ache as much, though still a lot, and both my hearing and sight seemed to have improved. What was happening to me?

"Oh my God," whispered Hermione, one hand covering her mouth in shock. "Look at Draco..." All the heads in her cell turned to look at me and I closed my eyes, not wanting to see their looks of disgust. "Draco, can you hear me?" the girl called. "Please look at me," she pleaded.

I raised my head slightly off the ground, my tail brushing the floor slightly. Wait...tail...? Turning my head slightly, I saw a silver, furry body with a tail at the end. Blood coated my new form, dimming the silver color, but it was still there.

"You're an animagus," she breathed softly. "You can turn into a wolf...And there's your marking. On your left arm..." And sure enough there was a large black splotch marring the silver...my Dark Mark.

"But how did he transform?" asked Fred, genuinely puzzled. "Don't you have to learn to be one?"

"I know while we were at Hogwarts, a few of us under McGonagall were studying to become one. It was a private class held only for those most gifted at Transfiguration and we weren't supposed to tell anyone. Myself and Draco were in it, so he has had some lessons in it."

"But how did he suddenly become a wolf?" asked Ginny, her voice showing she wanted to see my new form but was unable to because of the wall.

"I read once," said Hermione, "That sometimes the forms show themselves on their own. Naturally, a wolf has strong endurance so his form might have taken over because he needed that extra boost to stay alive. Like if you were a rabbit animagus you'd be faster and a cat you'd be a good climber. Draco needed the strength..."

"Is he going to be all right now?" asked my fellow Slytherin. "I mean, will he live?"

"He'll live," said Hermione, "But it still isn't great odds. Draco, can you stand up?" she asked, looking back at me. "We need to know if you can walk. If it hurts to much though, stay down."

Of course it hurt...everything hurt... But I still wanted...needed to try. Honestly, I doubt I can but I refuse to remain a cripple from a stupid knife. Pushing my front paws forward, I attempted to stand, only to fall down with a slight whimper.

"You can do it, Draco," encouraged Hermione, her hands clasped around the bars. "Keep trying." Once more, I pushed myself up only to fall again, this time a short howl escaping before I clamped my muzzle shut. "That's it," she said, closing her eyes. "I don't know what my form is, but I'm going to try to activate it. Maybe it can help us."

Letting her hands drop down to her sides, the girl took a deep breath and tried to switch over to her animagus form. Silently, I prayed it would work...I was starting to feel slightly dizzy and the pain was beginning to grow again...Once again, I tried to stand up, only to have my legs firmly protest.

My tongue flicked out to lick one of the cuts on my paw, natural wolf instinct I guess. The only odd thing about my form was I was still able to see in color, not just black and white. A loud gasp alerted me that something had happened to Hermione.

Raising my head off the ground, I saw a dark brown wolf in the cell diagonal from mine, right where the Gryffindor girl had been standing. Her marking was a perfectly round darker brown circle on her rump, probably a birthmark in her human form.

Carefully, she stuck her head through the bars, followed by her front paws. Looking right and left she pulled the rest of her body through, now free and standing in the hall. Crossing the floor, nails clicking on the stone, she squeezed herself into my cage, her wolf eyes honey brown just like her normal.

With her head, she gently nudged my left shoulder, a small moan escaping me as her wet nose hit one of the injuries. _'You have to get up,' _she barked softly, nudging me again with her nose. _'Please get up, Draco.'_

Using her head, she pushed me again in an attempt to help me stand. With her pushing, I forced my legs to rise until I was leaning against her, my feet threatening to drop me at any second. _'Hold on Draco, I'll get you out.'_

Helping me get through the bars of my cell, I collapsed on the floor, my vision once again starting to go dark. Changing back to her normal human form she turned to the group. "I'm going to get myself and Draco out of here," she said firmly. "I promise we'll get help or die trying."

"Do your best, Mione," said Ginny, going to the front of her prison cell and reaching through to give her friend a hug. Hermione returned it and hugged everyone in turn, tears running down her cheeks.

"We'd better get going," she said, transfiguring back to a wolf.

_'Just leave me here,'_ I moaned softly, the thought of having to stand up again already hurting. _'You'll do better without me dragging you down...just go.'_

_'I'm not leaving you, Draco,'_ she said, nuzzling her head against my shoulder. _'You're coming with. Now get up,'_ she yipped, pushing me again. Weakly, I rose again to my feet and took a tentative step forward, my whole body protesting.

Reaching through the bars, Pansy gave me a brush through my bloodied fur, followed by Ginny and Hannah. I looked up at them, silver eyes bright with pain before being pushed from behind by Hermione to get us moving.

_'Come on, Draco,'_ she begged once we were out of the cell holding. _'Don't stop now...get up.'_ For once again, I had fallen to the floor, and this time I don't think I'm going to rise. _'They're counting on us Draco, they need us,'_ she cried, tears falling from her honey eyes.

Images of Pansy, Ginny and the rest of the prisoners flashed through my head, followed by Ron and Harry's bodies. Did I want them to end up like that? With a whimper, I pulled myself up and started to follow the girl wolf again. _'Good boy Draco,'_ she said, a relieved tone to her bark.

For the second time that day we reached the large wooden door that either promised freedom or more torture. Transfiguring out of her wolf form, Hermione opened the door and slipped out followed closely by me. Once we were both outside, she closed it and went back to her wolf form.

We both still needed practice with these new bodies. I've never walked on four paws before or had my head so low to the ground. But practice would come later...getting out of here was our main priority.

_'So what are we going to do?'_ I asked weakly, sitting down on my haunches, fighting the need to lie down and never get up. _'Dressing up would be pretty stupid now.'_

_'We're going to run,'_ she said, looking at the large wall across from us. _'Can you spend all of your energy on this, Draco? We need to get out of the fortress yard and down a ways and then you can rest. Can you run?'_

_'I...I don't know,'_ I replied honestly. _'I can hardly walk...and I feel like I'm going to pass out at any second. But I'll try...'_

She licked my muzzle before turning and walking to the end of the walls. I sat for a few more seconds, wondering what that kiss/lick had meant before getting up and following her.

_'Ready?_' she asked. _'Just run straight for the gate, but go in a bit of a zig-zag. They'll have a harder time hitting you if you aren't running in a line.'_ I nodded and she bared her teeth in a growl. _'Then let's go.'_

She dove out from our covering and started to run for the looming metal gate that held us inside Voldemort's lair. Closely, I followed behind her, forcing my paws to move forward after the brown wolf.

Yells sounded around the compound and a spell shot off someone's wand aimed at us. It grazed my side and I yelped, doubling my pace so I was running even with Hermione.

The gates started to close as the guards activating them saw our chosen path. If anything, that just made Hermione run faster and I made myself keep up with my friend. With inches to spare, she flew through the gate, me right behind and we tore off down the road, the curses no longer able to hit us.

After about twenty minutes of this nonstop running I felt my legs give out beneath me and I fell to the ground with a crash. Hermione, hearing my fall, turned and trotted back, transforming to her human form on the way.

Reaching down, she picked me up in her arms, and I was quite surprised to say that she didn't drop me. But then again, I probably wasn't that heavy having barely eaten anything for the last few days.

I gave a low whimper and attempted to free myself from her grasp, only to have her hold tighten around me. "It's okay, Draco," she soothed, setting off down the road. "Just rest...I've got you." Obediently, I let my eyes close as she carried me into the dying sunset, her heart thumping against my own.

Together, we would get help...together, we would succeed.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

smacks head repeatedly on keyboard- jklfagrf There...now I feel better. I keep forgetting to update this. XD I guess it's because I'm not writing it.

For the last time, **this is the original! I'm only changing grammar, spelling, and a few points that made no sense! **

Also, there are **12 chapters **in total of pre-written. So you've got 6 more to go! n.n A huge thank you toall of you wonderful reviewers! Mione and Draco are finally outta there and maybe now you'll get to see some more action...maybe. :P

On my profile is a link to my chat group, **Icy's Corner. **If you'd like to join, I'd love to have you! Just click the link and follow the instructions!

As I said chapter prior, reviews are very welcome. Until next Saturday then, Ja!


	7. Never Really Free

**Disclaimer: Read previous ones. **

**Black is Our World**

**Never Really Free**

The rustling of the wind moving through the trees woke me up, though I rather wish I had stayed asleep. Dark, ominous shadows filled the small clearing I found myself in, completely alone. A chill was evident in the air, like I shouldn't be here.

Attempting to stand, I realized that my body wouldn't obey any of the commands I gave it. Struggling, I tried to move my fingers only to have them remain on the ground, still and lifeless. Only my eyes obeyed me, glancing around the place I'd found myself.

I was completely and utterly alone. Nothing but the trees and myself, the branches scratching against the black sky. _'Is anyone there?'_ I thought, my mouth too tired to speak the sentence. _'How did I get here? Someone answer me!'_

But even yelling out the questions in my mind seemed to tire my body more. Slowly, my eyes began to close once more, a drowsy numbness coming over my mind and invading my senses.

"Oh no you don't," muttered a girl's voice, slightly fuzzy but still recognizable. Cracking open one eye the blurry image of a brown haired girl dressed in tattered clothing appeared in my sight. "I'm not letting you die now!"

At once, the numbness that had been happily taking over disappeared and was replaced by hot, burning agony that seemed to course through my entire body. I uttered a small scream and attempted to curl up, my body now responding.

"I'm sorry, Draco...but if you fall asleep you'll die," the girl said softly, holding her bloodied hand that she'd just slapped me with, the crimson liquid my own. Tenderly, she ran a finger down my cheek, smearing the blood that had been on my face. "I'm going to have to touch you, okay? I know it's going to hurt, but try not to move..."

Gently, the girl rolled me until I lay on my stomach with my head resting on its side in the dirt. It all hurt so much...What I would give for it all to go away...But Hermione needed me...Pansy...Ginny...they all needed me.

With light hands, she touched one of the long welts that covered my back, ignoring my wince and hiss of pain. The cooling feeling of water being washed over my cuts surprised me slightly but I remained still, biting my lip to keep from crying out as the liquid stung my wounds.

"It's all right if you want to cry, Draco," she said gently, tearing off the bottom of her shirt to use as a bandage. "I'm the only one here and I don't mind. It would do you good to let go of the pain; not keep it all bottled up inside.

Stubbornly, I shook my head a mere inch, not wanting to shed a tear in front of her. Then she would think I was weak and I was supposed to be strong. "You're lucky to be alive at the second you know," she said, tying a strip of the cloth around a deep gash in my arm. "Any other person I know probably would have died already."

"What happened?" I asked hoarsely, my throat feeling like sandpaper. "How did we get here? Wherever we are..."

"We both transformed into our animagus forms and escaped the fortress. You collapsed earlier and I managed to carry you quite a bit until you reverted back to your human appearance. You were harder to carry then and I knew you needed treatment so we stopped."

I remained silent for the rest of her treatment to my back, determined to not show any sign of weakness. That was I remained silent until she began to roll up my pants leg, the material scratching against the open wounds.

"What are you doing?" I gasped, tears coming to my eyes. "Stop it, Mione... Please stop..." Her hand rested like a feather on the skin around my calf, yet still brining waves of anguish over me. "Don't touch it," I moaned, attempting to move my badly injured leg away from her, but once again it refused to answer to me.

"I don't know what to do!" she said helplessly, thankfully removing her bloodied hand. "I could bandage it but I don't really think it would heal like that. And I'm not amputating...one it is gross, two I don't have a knife, and three it really isn't necessary. The bone is still fine...It's just theflesh was completely cut through."

"Can't you do anything?" I asked weakly, my surroundings once again beginning to be filled with small black dots. "I really don't... feel that great..."

"I know," she soothed, her voice bordering on the edge of hysteria. "I'm just going to wrap it for now to stop you from losing more blood. Okay?" I didn't answer, my mouth no longer working either. "Don't die, Draco," she cried, hands gripping my shoulders and giving my body a firm shake. "Wake up! Don't go to sleep!"

Just like last time, the jolting to my body caused the pain to flare again and I was once more among the world of the living. She flipped me over so I was now lying on my bandaged back and gave me a sad smile. "Everything will be all right, Draco," she said softly, running her hands through my blond hair. "I won't let anything else happen to you."

"Where'd you get the water?" I croaked, flinching as she began to gently clean the injuries on my chest. "Stream nearby or something?"

"Yes," she said while nodding. "After I get you all bandaged up I'm going to go take a quick bath. You just stay here and rest. Once you feel a bit better I have some bread I can give you."

"Okay," I mumbled sleepily, her voice already sounding farther and farther away. I knew it was safe to rest now... All of my injuries that had been bleeding the most had been bandaged and cleaned...while the calf injury wasn't cleaned but it was bandaged. No one was allowed to touch it...

Her lips lightly brushed over my forehead and a sudden, warm content feeling came over me. Sure, the pain was still there, clear as crystal, but someone who cared about me was there, doing her best to make sure I was okay.

"I'm leaving now," she said a few minutes later. "You just rest, okay Draco?" I nodded, already feeling once again alone. The sound of her feet walking away filled me with a sense of abandonment since I couldn't get up and follow her.

I knew I was in no condition to go down to the river and give myself a quick wash, so I'm kind of glad Hermione used water on the injuries. She gave me a semi-bath without even my knowledge.

The wind whined through the trees, brushing over my still wet skin and made me shiver. Great, now I was probably going to die from a simple common cold because we had no way to treat it. I found myself wishing the Gryffindor would come back to chase away all of the growing 'what if' questions I had.

What if Voldemort was angry we got away and killed another of my companions?

What if we didn't get far enough away and some of the guards found us?

What if I couldn't walk again because of Marlin?

What if Hermione got hurt? Then what would we do?

"Draco? What's wrong?" called the girl, stepping out from the trees. "Are your injuries bothering you? Which one hurts? Can I help?" Slowly, I shook my head just happy that she was back.

Sitting down, she carefully lowered her body to the ground, her wet hair brushing against my cheek and making me shiver once again. But the coldness started to melt as she pressed her body against mine, hurting my injuries slightly, but providing me with the heat my body so desperately wanted.

"Good night, Draco," she said quietly, her breath tickling my ear. "Sleep well." And so I allowed my eyes to close, falling asleep with the brown haired angel by my side.

xxx

In another part of the woods a lone figure crashed through the brush, only the need to protect his friend spurring him on. The moon, only half full this night, shone down on the ragged form as he came into a clearing, free of the monstrous trees.

His face was haggard, making him seem years older than he really was. The light brown hair was flecked with gray, the locks now hanging well past his ears. Sharp brown eyes reflected the silver of the moon as he collapsed on the ground.

"What am I doing?" he muttered aloud to himself, taking a twig from the hard packed dirt and started to chew it. "There isn't any possible way he could still be alive..._They've_ been hunting him since the start of the war."

_They_ was the Death Eaters and Voldemort, current rulers of the world. In every corner of the Earth they were stationed, hunting down the survivors who had managed to get away from their iron grip and had yet to be put behind bars.

It amazed the man how fast the takeover had been. He'd been sitting in his temporary home sipping a cup of tea when the friendly, bright, young woman, now his only friend left that was still free, had said the Death Eaters were attacking Hogwarts.

He'd acted quickly, grabbing his wand and leaving the teacup abandoned on the table. When they'd gotten to the school, the battle was already underway and it was easy to see who was winning. The black robed figures covered almost every inch of ground, the bodies of other aurors and students littering the ground.

Both knew that they had no chance and would have to leave, hopefully to regroup with other fighters around the world. But Voldemort had been one step ahead of them...Already he had his minions stationed everywhere, killing or capturing all the wizards and witches. Next had been the muggles, being taken away to become amusement or sacrifices for the new power.

It had almost been three months now since he'd been in hiding and already things were looking down. No one could move freely anymore, having to run under the cloak of the night. But even then they were not safe from the clutches of Voldemort.

But back to the present situation. The man was searching for Albus Dumbledore, the only hope the Light side of the world had left. He was said to have read the second prophecy that was the key to killing Voldemort. It was a race of time between Good and Evil to find the old wizard and learn the prophecy.

Dumbledore would be quite willing to give it to the innocents of the war, knowing fully well that letting Voldemort learn it would mean all hope was lost. But how was he supposed to give it to them if he was nowhere to be found? Like the man and his friend, he had vanished towards the end of the battle to regroup only to disappear.

So now he was out here in vain search to find the old man and discover the prophecy that could defeat the Dark Lord. The vibrant woman had begged to go with him, not wanting to be alone but he'd firmly insisted, knowing that if he were caught the world still needed an able bodied person to try and help.

The eyes began to drift closed, weariness overtaking the exhausted man. No longer could he run down a dark path...He needed an answer and perhaps sleep would provide the answer to his question.

Rolling onto his side, he curled up to conserve his body heat in the chilly night air, before letting himself get the rest he called for.

xxx

"Time to get up, Draco," the girl called softly, gently shaking my shoulder. "We have to get going... They could find us at any moment."

Opening my eyes, I took in the blurry form of Hermione still attempting to get me up. "I'm up," I moaned, the pain, which had disappeared during sleep, washing over me once again. She seemed to notice I was suffering and stopped shaking my shoulder.

"You need to eat this," she said calmly, placing one hand on the small of my back and pulling me up to a sitting position, smiling sympathetically at the cry I gave as my body moved. She brought a small piece of bread to my mouth and attempted to make me eat.

In answer, I turned my head away, the thought of food making my stomach flip already. I hadn't eaten in so long I honestly don't think I'd be able to keep anything down. "I can't," I said softly, closing my eyes. "You eat it, Mione..."

"You need to eat something," she begged, putting the food to my mouth again. "Please take it, Draco?" Once more I turned my head away to hear her sigh and then the sounds of munching. "We need to get moving," she said after she'd finished her meal. "But I don't think you can walk..."

"Can too," I said childishly placing both hands behind my body to push myself up. But as soon as the smallest amount of pressure was applied, I yelled and fell backwards, pain shooting up my arms.

"No you can't," she said bitterly, eyes narrowing in concentration. "Can you morph back to your wolf form? I could carry you again..." Squinting my eyes shut I tried to imagine the form I'd felt last night... "You did it!" the girl exclaimed, her smile threatening to extinguish the sun. "Good boy Draco, good boy!"

Reaching down, she scooped my furry body into her arms, murmuring soothing words of comfort in response to my whimpers as her hands touched the tender injuries. "It'll be okay, Draco," she said, steering us through the trees. "Everything will be fine."

_'But when?' _I whined softly, digging my nose under her arm. _'When will the pain go away?'_ She just laughed at my attempt to talk to her.

We walked in silence for the next few hours, the sun beating down on my party with its strong, intense rays. It made me feel as though we had a large spotlight on us, an easy target for the Death Eaters to find us.

_'Mione! Won't they find us?'_ I barked. _'We're traveling in broad daylight!'_

I don't think she understood me but she seemed to get the question from the way I kept glancing around her shoulder every few seconds, despite the pain it caused me, to check to see if we were being followed.

"We're in the middle of a forest, Draco," she laughed, clearly enjoying being in the outdoors. "And lucky for us it is a non-magical one so we have nothing to worry about. They're not going to trek through a huge forest after us. We don't mean that much to them."

_'But I know something,'_ I yipped, licking the girl on her cheek. _'They were talking about a prophecy that didn't concern Harry. They're looking for Dumbledore! He knows about it!'_

"Hush, Draco, save your strength. Just rest and be quiet, okay boy?"

_'I'm not really a dog Mione,'_ I barked. _'So don't call me boy! And listen to me! It's important! It's about a second prophecy and-' _I was cut off as her hand painfully clamped over my muzzle.

"Shut up," she whispered, "I think I heard something." My ears lay flat back on my head as I sensed the second presence in the area. But somehow, it didn't smell evil or dark...More like a fellow wolf somehow.

_'It's okay, Mione,' _I barked, freeing my muzzle from her hand. _'I don't think whoever this person is means to harm us. Mione...Mione! MIONE!' _I yelled as she gently deposited me on the ground and picked up a rather large stick from the ground. _'No...don't! Don't hurt him!'_

I tried to revert back to my human form but found my body to weak to even follow the simple command. _'Stop, Hermione! He isn't evil!'_ I howled, attempting to rise off of the ground. My body crumpled on the first attempt but I forced myself to rise again. No way was I going to allow the Gryffindor to injure a fellow refugee like ourselves.

With another whimper, I compelled my legs to support my starved frame and started forward after the retreating girl, intending to protect both her and whoever this stranger was. Making my legs move faster, I caught up to Hermione and sank my teeth into her shirt, being very careful to not catch her skin.

"Draco," she scolded, "let go." I shook my head, determined to stop her at all costs. "Let go," she repeated, this time more firmly.

"Who's there?" called the newcomer, the voice easily a man's. Out of the trees he stepped and we both took in his appearance, myself letting go of Hermione's shirt.

A tattered pair of blue jeans clung to the man's lean frame with a dark blue polo shirt ripped in several places. Light brown hair hung down to almost his chin, streaks of gray altering the appearance somewhat. His forehead was creased as he frowned at both of us, a dark brown wand drawn and pointed.

Tentatively, I took a step towards the man, the wolf scent becoming even stronger as I approached. For some reason, the man seemed familiar...like I'd met him before but I couldn't place him.

The man's eyes widened when he saw my bedraggled state, a crimson trail following me as I dragged my injured back leg along behind me. Kneeling slowly down, he put the wand on the ground and held his arms wide showing he came in peace.

I finished crossing to him, my front paws buckling and I fell into his arms, head resting lightly on his knee. Running one of his hands through my fur I flinched and gave a small moan but made no attempt to move, all of my energy now spent.

"He's...he won't hurt you," said Hermione softly. "He isn't doing so well..."

The man looked up from me, his eyes widening as he stared at the brown haired girl. "Hermione? Is that you?" Her face broke into a large grin and she practically flew across the few feet that separated the two.

"Professor Lupin! Is it really you?" she cried, tears streaming down her face as the man rose, gently letting me fall to the ground and pulled the girl into an embrace. "It's really you," she sobbed, burying her face into his shirt. "It's really you..."

"What happened to you?" he asked, tightening his grasp around her body. "Where did you come from? Who's the wolf? Are you badly hurt?"

"Let's sit down," the girl suggested, her tears still falling. "I have so much to tell you! But how did you get here anyway?"

"I went searching for... I'll tell you later," he said softly. "But it isn't safe here...We can all go back to Grimmauld Place and discuss this. Voldemort hasn't found us there yet."

"That sounds great, Professor," the girl said wearily.

"Please, call me Remus.I'm not really your professor anymore."

Hermione nodded andthen continued."Can you pick Draco up? I don't think he'll be able to walk... Or are we apparating? You have a wand..."

"We can't apparate," he said wearily. "The Dark Lord has some type of charm covering the whole world for unidentified wands using spells. If I were to use it they would be able to trace us...We'll have to walk. And who's Draco?" he asked looking around the clearing.

"Draco Malfoy," Hermione said quietly. "He's the wolf...in an animagus form right now. He's really weak and his body took refuge in his stronger half."

"Of course," the old Defense Against Dark Arts professor said, moving over to me. His arms slid beneath my bloodied body and he easily lifted me into his arms. "What happened...?" he began before trailing off. "I'll get answers later, we should leave now."

With a confident stride he set off through the forest, Hermione trailing in his wake. I meanwhile tried to figure out why he had reminded me of a wolf. He definitely smelled like one, at least to my new nose he did.

Gradually, I just forgot the questions running through my brain as drowsiness invaded my senses. The rocking motion of hiking through the dense underbrush gave me a sense of a mother cradling her child and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

Hushed voices reached my extra sensitive ears and I stirred slightly to let my two companions know I was awake. _'Are we there yet?'_ I whined, the thought of a warm bed, and some real bandages already making me feel better.

"Be quiet, Draco," whispered Hermione, putting a finger to her lips. "Remus said we have to remain silent so we can sneak to the base. Will you be quiet?" I gave a soft growl showing I'd heard her.

"We're here," the man said softly, pausing to peer around a charred house. "Quickly, follow me." He sprinted across the ruined yards of the homes Death Eaters had destroyed until a huge house loomed out of nowhere before us.

Knocking twice really fast and then three times slow the door creaked open to reveal a large dark hall.Remus gestured for Hermione to go in and then he followed with me, closing the large oaken door silently behind us.

"Remus? Is that you?" came a female's voice from the top of a staircase. Hermione's face broke into another grin and she squealed excitedly, recognizing the voice that was foreign to me.

"Tonks!" she shrieked running up the curving banister. "Tonks!" A dark blue haired woman came to the top of the stairs so that I could see her in the wizard's arms. Her face broke into a smile and she grabbed the rushing girl in a bone-crushing hug.

"Goodness Hermione! Where did you come from?" she asked, pulling away and just looking at my friend.

"She can explain later, Tonks," said the man wearily. "Her friend needs quite a bit of help." He raised his arms slightly so the witch could get a look at me. Her hand flew to her mouth in horror as she gazed down at my bloodied frame.

"How did a wolf get so badly injured?" she exclaimed, rushing down the spiral staircase towards us.

"He's an animagus," said Hermione softly. "Draco Malfoy."

"My little cousin!" she cried, "even though I've never met him before," she added as an afterthought. "Remus, bring him to the kitchen and put him on top of the table. Hermione, run upstairs and get some towels and soap. We can't use magic even in here."

Hermione nodded and raced off while Remuscarried me into a rather bright kitchen. Bright yellow walls seemed to glow with dark blue flowered border setting off the gleam somewhat. A large brown table sat in the right corner, away from the oven and sink. About ten chairs were around it, none of them occupied.

Gently, the old professor set me down on the pine, my blood already seeping into the fine grains of wood and staining it. My cousin, who I had never even heard of before, came over to the table with a bucket of water, soap, and rolls of bandages. Seconds later, Hermione arrived breathless in the doorway, a large stack of fluffy, white towels held against her chest.

Setting them on the empty chair she collapsed in the one next to it, her gaze hopeful. "What injuries does he have?" asked Tonks, dipping one of the towels into the water and applying soap. "We'll need to know before we treat him at all."

"He's been whipped pretty badly," the girl said quietly, her hair now pulled back in a loose ponytail away from her face. "His whole back is in ribbons and he's been stabbed repeatedly throughout. Especially his right calf, Marlin plunged a dagger straight through."

No one bothered to ask who Marlin was, knowing answers to all of those questions would come later. "He has cuts and bruises all over his body and was put under the Crutacius Curse multiple times. They also branded his Dark Mark... so, his whole left arm is really sensitive and it's pretty badly burned. He was also...also..."

_'Don't say it,'_ I whined, not having the strength to get off the table and make her be quiet. _'They'll think I'm weak...Don't say it...'_

"Lucius raped him," she finally said after a pause, shooting a sympathetic glance towards me. "At least twice that I know of...He's also been starved since we were all captured, except for enough food so he'd stay alive."

"His own father did that," Remusrepeated, anger sounding in his voice. "How could he? On his own flesh and blood?"

"Draco," said Tonks gently, her attention turning to me. "We can't treat you well you're in that form. Could you try to turn back? Please?"

I slowly shook my head, knowing that as soon as I switched I would hurt even more. And wasn't I already in enough pain? "Please, Draco? We can't help you like that..." In the back of my mind I knew she was right...I would begin to feel better if I allowed them to help me.

A few seconds later, the pain increased ten fold and I couldn't help but whimper as the torment began anew. "Oh my God," gasped Tonks, "You poor thing..." Taking the cloth she'd been wetting earlier, the witch began to wash off the blood on my chest whileRemus held me down as I tried to shift away.

Squinting my eyes closed, I tried to ignore the pain only to find that it didn't work. The warm water stung something awful, the soap not helping matters. Plus the fact she kept dipping the cloth into the wounds to clean them out completely.

The crinkling of material reached my ears and I realized she was pulling off the pants I had transfigured. _'She's just trying to help,'_ I said, attempting to reassure myself. _'She's not going to do anything to you...relax...relax...'_

But images of someone else's hands running over my body, tearing off my clothes, sent a shudder through my body and I instinctively kicked out at the blue haired girl, fear taking over my rational half.

"He's scared," said Hermione softly, her honey gaze boring into me. "After what Lucius did to him I doubt he'll ever be able to fully overcome it..." Another set of hands joined Remus's in holding me down, and the pants finished sliding off. "We're not going to hurt you Draco," soothed Hermione. "Just lie still and we'll take a look at the cut..."

One finger gingerly touched the wound and I howled, the merest pressure sending me into fits of pain. "This isn't good," my cousin muttered, trying as carefully as she could to unwrap the bandage Hermione had tied around it. "Remus, do you still have some of those pain relievers?"

"Afraid not," he said sadly. "They've all been use up."

"Draco," said Tonks softly. "I'm going to have to touch your injury, okay? I know it's going to hurt like hell but try not to move...You'll make it worse." I know I heard her, but my brain didn't seem to comprehend the small fact.

Her index finger landed on the first layer of broken skin, and to my horror, she began to push her finger into the wound. "Tonks! What are you doing?" screeched Hermione, her and Remus tightening their grip on me as I howled and tried to shake the girl off my leg. "Stop it!"

"I have to see how bad it is," was her reply. Looking up at the stunned girl she said, "I need to see how much of the muscle was punctured and if there is any chance of repairing it. To do this, I need to pull the wound open from the inside since we can't just do a scan with our wands."

"But you're hurting him!" wailed the girl, taking my right hand in her own and allowing me to squeeze it for comfort. "Please stop..." My cries turned into choked up sobs as I tried not to cry, tried not to show weakness, tried to be strong...

"There's really nothing we can do," she said several minutes later, removing her blood stained finger from my leg. "We can sew his leg back together on the outside to stop the bleeding, but that's about it. And we don't have any numbing potions or sleep draughts."

"You mean," said Hermione, voice wavering, "You're going to operate on him while he's awake? But that's...it's inhumane! Do you know how much pain he'll be in? You're using a needle on his skin! That's going to hurt Tonks! It went straight through, so you'll have to sew two injuries!"

"We don't have any other choice," said Tonks grimly, "Unless he doesn't mind us amputating his leg. There is a small chance he may gain mobility, but I doubt it. And even then it will take a lot of work to just be able to use it again."

"Can we at least physically knock him out?" asked the tearing girl, as though she was feeling my pain. "Could we do that?"

Sadly, Tonks shook her head. "He's already suffered to much trauma...If we were to do what you say Mione we could cause him to go into a coma or do more damage to him. I don't think any of us want that...He might faint from pain and that would be okay, but that's the only way he'll escape."

_'But I don't want you to hurt me anymore,'_ my mind screamed, the thoughts not willing to process themselves into words._ 'Just amputate the fucking thing and stop hurting me!'_ But since they couldn't hear the voice inside my head I was at their mercy.

"Sorry, Draco," the auror said, a sad smile on her face. "I know you're going to hate me right now...but trust me, it's for the best. I'll be right back...gotta go get a needle and some thread..."

A tear trickled silently down my face and I closed my eyes, no longer wanting to see the looks of pity I was receiving. Seconds later, Tonks entered the room again and I heard the spool of thread being set on the table. A snipping sound echoed in the room and I allowed another tear to leak from my eye.

"It'll be okay, Draco," said Hermione softly, her voice thick with emotion. "I'll be right here." To make her point, she gave my hand a squeeze and I felt once again grateful that she was with me and not back at Voldemort's.

"Here I go," Tonks muttered after threading the needle. "Remus, you might want to hold him down again...This isn't going to be pretty."

"Umm...Tonks?" asked Hermione quickly. "Not to sound rude, but do you think it might be safer for Remus to do this? I mean, you're not that great with sewing..."

"That probably is a better idea," the girl said laughing, although it was slightly forced. "Here ya go, Remus... Good luck!" Handing off the needle and thread, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and I heard Hermione give a little gasp of surprise.

Remustook his position at my feet, the needle poised above my injury. "Sorry bout this, Draco," he said before placing his hand on my leg for support and then sticking the needle into the first layer of skin, pulling the thread through until the knot caught.

I was suddenly aware of the metallic taste in my mouth and realized I'd bitten straight through my lip. "Here," said Tonks, forcing my mouth open and putting something between my teeth. "Chew on this." As soon as she slackened her grip, my jaw clenched together again, this time biting against a piece of hard plastic.

"I'm starting," said the DADA teacher, his expression grim. "Keep a good grip on him, Tonks...I don't want to hurt him more than I have too."

The piercing of the needle into the inside of my leg sent a jolt of pain through my body and I screamed, spitting the plastic out, wanting the agony my busted lip brought. If I could focus on one source of pain then maybe the one further down wouldn't be as bad.

"Hold him!" yelled Tonks, her arms pinning my shoulders to the table well Hermione was forced to let go of my hand to hold me down across the stomach. Another sharp wave invaded my senses and I bit down harder into my lip, the blood almost soothing in my mouth. And to think he'd just completed one stitch...

Minutes later, the voices started to grow fuzzy around me, like I had entered a cloud that was steadily closing in. _'I don't want to be in the dark!'_ my mind screamed as images around me began to blur together. _'Don't let me go back!'_ Seconds later, the utter darkness overtook me.

xxx

"I think he's starting to wake up," came the hushed voice of my cousin. "Yep look..his eyelashes are fluttering… Dear cousin, time to wake up..." My whole body felt as though it was numb, absolutely no pain was evident. Strange...

Cracking open one eye I took in the hazy image of the girl, this time with bright orange hair. "Why's your hair orange?" I slurred, my tongue seeming to have doubled in size. "And why doesn't anything hurt?"

"We packed ice around you for about an hour," said Hermione who was sitting on a chair next to the bed I found myself in. "It won't last that long but we all thought you deserved a small break."

"What happened?" I asked, trying to clear my head and bring back all of the thoughts I'd had during the operation. I couldn't even remember blacking out.

"You passed out," said Tonks matter-of-factly. "Not surprising either...I was surprised you were actually still alive when I saw you. And as for my hair being orange; I'm a metamorphmagus, meaning I can change my appearance at will. It's orange cuz I'm happy to see you all!"

I looked around the room to take in my new surroundings. I was on a twin bed in the far right corner of the room with a small nightstand in the very corner. A dresser sat across the way with a closet on the left.

It was then I noticed that my entire upper body had been completely bandaged and I could feel a pair of warm pants on my lower half. But what struck me odd was I didn't smell like blood and dirt like I had before.

Tonks sat at the foot of my bed, her smile wide and Hermione was in a brown chair that had been pulled up right next to my head. They almost seemed to know what my puzzled expression was about and Tonks laughed. "I'll let you explain things to him, Hermione while I go help Remus with the soup."

The girl gave a nervous chuckle and turned to me once Tonks had left. "She's rather clumsy," she admitted, "And truth tell, I'm quite afraid for her, Remus, and the soup."

I gave her a small smile, realizing she was trying to comfort me. "So what exactly happened, Hermione?" I asked.

"Well, you blacked out during surgery and we let you stay that way. I think we fixed your leg pretty well...Tonks said you're not supposed to attempt walking on it for a while so you are confined to bed rest."

"Works well with me," I said with a small smile. "What else?"

"We finished treating your other injuries and then Remus got you cleaned up a bit...Hope you don't mind but you really smelled Draco." She gave a nervous laugh, knowing fully well that I didn't like to be touched at all. "We just wanted to help, that's all..."

"It's all right," I said softly, staring up at the ceiling. "I trust you all somewhat, especially you, and I don't really think any of you would intentionally hurt me.Remus is a werewolf, right? I know I smelled wolf and I just remembered something about that from third year."

"He is," the girl said quietly. "But he won't hurt you and he isn't dangerous."

"I know." We lapsed into silence for several minutes, her hand holding mine loosely. "How long have I been out?" I asked randomly, turning my head on the pillow so I could see Hermione.

"Only a few hours, about four..." she said. "Draco...Is this really happening? Are we really free?" Hemione asked suddenly.

"We'll never be free," I answered, closing my eyes tiredly. "As long as Voldemort is alive, we'll never be safe."

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry for the long wait! As most of you probably read on my profile, I lost internet connection cuz my cable modem blew up. :P

Can't really stay and chat...I've barely started PC. XD Hope you like the chapter! And reviews are nice...


	8. Some Pain Never Heals

**Disclaimer: As another Saturday rolls around, I'm afraid I still don't own HP**

**Black is Our World**

**Some Pain Never Heals**

"I have the soup," said Tonks cheerily, entering the room with a tray. "Eat up, Cousin, you need your strength."

Draco turned a slight tinge green when he looked at the food, his stomach still not ready to hold anything yet.

"You need to eat, Draco," I said softly, taking the tray from Tonks with a thanks. "You're really weak; emotionally and physically drained. Here...I'll help." While the orange haired witch raised Draco so that he was leaning comfortably against the headboard, I moved my chair closer to his head. "Ready? Open wide..."

Dipping the spoon into the tomato soup, I raised it to his mouth, a smile creeping on my face at the sight of his horror of being spoon-fed. But after a glare from Tonks he reluctantly let me feed him, though his sullen expression remained.

"I'll head out," said Tonks in a singsong voice, skipping towards the door. "After he finishes that, Hermione he goes to bed, okay? Once he wakes up we can talk more. Remus is out looking for some pain relievers as we speak so that Draco will hopefully be feeling better. Bye bye!"

"She's gone; can you stop feeding me now?" he begged, wincing as I pushed another spoonful of the hot liquid down his throat. I shook my head slowly, taking a small sip of the soup myself. Tonks never said anything about not helping him out...

"Time for you to go to sleep," I said, placing the now empty bowl on the nightstand a few minutes later. Rising, I pushed him back down onto the pillows and tucked the blanket securely around his thin frame. "Sweet dreams, Draco," I whispered, giving him a kiss on his forehead.

I blew out all the candles save one on the dresser, wanting Draco to see the light. Back in Voldemort's lair we had lived in blackness during the night and I knew I would probably be scared of the dark for a while. Why? Because anything can happen in the dark and we'd never see it...never know. Better to have a candle then nothing at all.

Giving Draco one last smile, I slipped from the room and closed the door behind me; the sound of the lock clicking sending little shivers down my spine. Living how I had had changed my life easily for the worst. As soon as I had heard the lock it had reminded way too much of the cells that held us in.

Trotting down the stairs, I entered the kitchen to see Tonks throwing out the bloody towels we'd used during Draco's operation. "Are you hungry, Hermione? Remus left you some of the soup he made."

"Sure, Tonks, that'd be great," I said, collapsing in one of the ten wooden chairs, my finger idly tracing over one of the dark brown stains that had once been Draco's blood on the table.

The older witch set down a steaming bowl and took a chair next to me, a small cup of tea balanced on a saucer.

"Is everything all right, Hermione?" she asked gently, placing a hand on my shoulder.

At first, I nodded but then I slowly shook my head, tears forming in my eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It was awful," I said softly, wrapping my arms around myself for comfort. "They barely fed us at all...Draco and...and Harry didn't get anything." Just the sound of my best friend's name brought the tears down my cheeks, now the first time I could really wallow in my feelings. "But both of them were really strong and put up with it... Then this is when things started to go downhill I guess you could say," I sniffled, taking the handkerchief Tonks offered with a small smile. "They were looking for Dumbledore but we didn't know that yet. One of the Death Eaters, Marlin was his name, came to our cells and took me away. He was offering me food and asking simple questions, like what my name was, when I asked him if he'd put any veritaserum in it. He got really angry then..."

"What happened?" prompted Tonks, eyes shining with worry.

"He decided to get the information out of me another way...I don't really want to talk about it, Tonks," I sobbed, not ever wanting to even think of the man again.

"Did he touch you, Hermione," growled my older friend, pulling me into a hug. I nodded slowly, burying my face in her shirt. "Damn that bastard," she snarled, stroking my hair gently after removing the ponytail cover. "Damn him."

"He whipped me too," I mumbled against Tonks, her hands immediately lifting up the back of my torn shirt to inspect the damage.

"This is what we're going to do," she said rising to her feet and pulling me up as well. "You're going to go take a nice shower and I'll get you some clean clothes. We'll finish this discussion later."

"One thing, Tonks...would you mind not mentioning this to Remus? Please?"

"I'll talk to him about the whipping but nothing else," the auror said. "But before you go, do you have any more injuries I need to take a look at?" I shook my head, pausing at the doorway. "All right then. I'll meet you back in your room after your shower, okay? I intend to treat those cuts young lady and I won't have any buts about it."

"Yes, Mother," I remarked sarcastically and left the kitchen, a lighter spring to my step. Before I went to the bathroom, I peeked in on Draco to see how he was doing. The Slytherin was tossing and turning in his bed, a light sheen of sweat covering his body.

Cautiously entering, I laid my hand on his forehead, a small frown forming on my face. "You have a really high fever," I murmured, placing a new, colder cloth on his head. His face had two angry red splotches on his cheeks, the blond bangs clinging to his forehead. "Why did this have to happen?"

Pulling the blanket down to his waist, I left the room, praying that Draco would do a complete three-sixty and recover from his ordeal. But in reality I knew that this was pretty unlikely. If I had gone through the horrors he had I knew for a fact I would be lying in bed, refusing to see anyone.

I entered the bathroom and turned the faucet on the shower to a tolerable heat, steam soon clouding the large mirror opposite the tub. Stripping off my clothes, I looked at the ratted shirt in my hands, tears forming in my eyes. Although I wasn't with my friends, this small part of material made me feel closer to them.

"I wonder how you guys are doing," I murmured softly, gently setting the shirt on the floor. "I hope you're all okay." I quickly stepped into the shower, letting the water pound against my back. It stung but after a few seconds I gradually began to relax, realizing I was finally safe.

My shower ended sooner then I wanted it too when my skin began to turn a light red and I decided that I'd had enough of the hot water. Carefully, I wrapped myself in a towel I found on a rack and exited the bathroom, a cloud of steam following me down the hall.

Easing open a door, I entered the room I had always occupied when I'd stayed over at Grimmauld Place during the summer season. My bed was covered with the deep red blanket coated in small gold stars. The cherry wood dresser still held the photos of Ron, Harry, and Ginny and all the fun we'd had here.

Opening the closet, I found some of my old shirts hanging there from last year. With a smile, I plucked off a red tee shirt and then crossed over to my dresser. Out of it came a bra, underwear, and a pair of black track pants with a white stripe running down the side.

I had just finished changing when I knock sounded on the door. "Come in," I called, rummaging around for a pair of socks in one of the drawers. Tonks entered with a roll of bandages and some water.

"Time to fix you up, Hermione," she said, placing the bowl on the nightstand. "Now lie down and let me take a look at your back." I complied, allowing Tonks to roll up my shirt and unfasten the bra I had just hooked. "This might sting a tad," she warned, "but then again, you did just have a shower."

With care, Tonks began to clean out the cuts on my back, spreading a cream that provided a gentle, cooling sensation over the injuries. After that, she unrolled the bandages and began to stick them on, the very tips of the cloth sticky.

"All done," she announced, pulling my shirt back down. "Does that feel better?"

"Much," I said with a smile, sitting back up on my bed. "I'm going to go check on Draco."

"All right, I'm going to go back to watching the pasta sauce Remus told me to make."

"Hey, Tonks? Just one thing...is there something going on between you and Remus?"

"Maybe," she said slyly, "maybe not. What do you think?"

"Yes."

"Then yes it is. Now go take a look at my little cousin, I'll join you later." We both exited my room, Tonks heading downstairs and myself heading for the room two doors down from mine.

I entered to see Draco much like last time, turning weakly on the bed as the fever ran through his body, making everything seem even worse. The cold rag I'd left lay abandoned on the floor, warm to the touch. Small droplets of blood speckled the sheets; several of Draco's injuries had reopened.

Lifting up the blanket, I rolled up the leg on his pants to make sure his calf injury was okay. Thankfully, the stitches had held and the blood was coming from some of the cuts on his arms and back.

"Stop that," I scolded softly, pressing both hands against his bandaged chest to stop him from moving. "Everything will be all right...you'll see Draco, everything will be fine." I'm not sure if he heard me but his body relaxed and stilled enough for me to fix his bandages.

I scooted the chair across the floor so it was by his head again and took one of his hands in my own. "Remus is outside looking for some cures," I said to start a one-sided conversation. "And Tonks sounds like she's cooking. A bit scary, don't you think, Draco?" His face remained the same, no movement at all. "You'd better not die now, Draco Malfoy," I sniffled, brushing away my tears furiously. "We've come this far and you aren't going to die now...you can't...you just can't..."

**Ginny's POV**

"Do you think they'll make it?" asked Hannah softly, her brown eyes shining with hope.

"Draco was hurt pretty bad," said Neville, leaning his head weakly against the wall. "Mione might be able to get away but I'm not so sure about him. He could barely walk!"

"Have some more faith in Draco," argued Pansy, eyes flashing with anger. "He's been through things most of us would have died from by now. We just have to believe in both of them," she said more softly this time.

"We actually have the advantage right now," said Fred, a small smile on his freckled face. "The Death Eaters haven't realized that they're gone yet. If all goes well, they may be able to leave the castle without even being seen!"

"I hope so," I said quietly, staring down at my clasped hands. "They are our only hope."

Yelling sounded down the corridor and we all looked at one another, wondering if our friends had been caught. "What is it now?" snarled Marlin, stalking down our corridor in a huff.

Rounding the corner another Death Eater came panting, hood pushed aside to reveal a flushed face. "Marlin! There were wolves spotted on the grounds. They got out through the gate before we could stun them."

A silent cheer went up in the cells; Hermione and Draco had escaped. "So?" drawled Marlin. "They were wolves. I don't know how they got in but wolves mean nothing unless they plan to eat us, which they don't seem to be doing. Now go back to your post."

"Yes, Sir," the man said sarcastically, turning and trotting off down the hall. We all bunched together in the back of the cell to try and fool Marlin that we were all accounted for. Fortunately for us he didn't glance in Draco's cell, which would have alerted them all he was gone.

"MARLIN!" yelled another voice, this one sounding panicky. "There you are," the messenger gasped, running past us as well. "There is something you have to see! It's about the wolves!"

"How many times must I say that the wolves aren't important?" Marlin snarled, eyes glinting madly. "They are animals with no powers to even comprehend ours."

"But Sir! One was a silver wolf! Silver! And it was leaving blood like crazy. We did a scan on it and it isn't wolf blood...it matches Draco Malfoy's sample exactly!"

"WHAT!" bellowed the longhaired Death Eater, his cry echoing down the corridor. He stormed towards us, peering into Draco's cell, face darkening further. "Explain this," he growled, turning to my small group. "Where is the boy?"

It was then a second thought occurred to him, in the form of a second wolf. "Who is the other wolf?" he snapped, wand out and pointing at us. "Answer me," he thundered, turning the tip towards me.

I gulped and looked fearfully at the stick of wood. But he seemed to figure it out for himself after counting us.

"So it's the mudblood, hmm? Tell me girl, how they managed to turn into wolves," he demanded, thrusting the wand towards me again.

"It won't hurt to tell him," whispered Pansy, her eyes fearful.

"They're...they're both animagi," I managed to say, relieved beyond measure when the wand was turned away.

"Lucius isn't going to be happy," he muttered, slipping the wand back into his pocket. "Best go inform him and my lord now." Still talking to himself, Marlin strode away, and we all exhaled in relief.

"I'm honestly surprised he didn't kill one of us," said Pansy with a short laugh before her face become serious once more. "He said Draco was losing a lot of blood...do you think he'll be all right?"

"He'll be fine," Fred reassured the Slytherin although his own eyes danced with worry. "Mione will take good care of him."

"But where are they going to go?" asked Lavender, the question just springing to mind. "The whole world was taken over, how are they going to find someplace safe to heal and rest? Let alone the fact they both need medical care."

"That's right...I almost forgot Hermione got whipped pretty bad," I said with a sad sigh. "With all that has been going on I guess that detail kind of just slipped my mind. I mean, it doesn't seem like such a big thing compared to everything else."

"You know what's funny?" said Hannah, a sad smile on her pale face. "Right now we should have been out of Hogwarts, looking for jobs of some sort. Maybe we'd be getting married, who knows? We were supposed to be leading a normal life at the minute."

"The only thing I was worried about was failing my Potions final," muttered Neville, his face downcast. "None of us were expecting this to happen. We knew it was unenviable but we didn't really seem to comprehend it could happen whenever. It's kinda like the destruction of the sun when it explodes...we know it's bound to happen yet none of us worry."

"George and I had our joke shop that Mum disapproved of so much. We were getting ready to market our newest product when all of this happened...worst off, I think I might have actually found someone only to have her taken away."

"You mean you were dating?" I gasped, eyes widening at the thought. "Who was it?" I asked, a deep suspicion of who it was already.

"Alicia Spinnet," he said wistfully. "We'd been dating since my seventh year, your fourth Ginny, and when we graduated we sort of stayed together. George was the only one who knew...he even helped me pick out her engagement ring. I just never got the chance to give it to her."

Lavender leaned over and gave Fred a hug, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Do you know if she's dead?" she asked softly.

"I don't know...she came back for the battle at Hogwarts but she didn't come here. She's probably is..."

"A lot of people died during the fighting," I said, "but not everyone. Although I know for a fact that McGonagall and Snape both died...and Hagrid. But that's all of the people I can remember...my memory's kinda hazy."

"We all weren't exactly together at that moment," said Pansy. "It was chaos everywhere! None of us were really looking around to see people die, we were fighting for our lives!"

"And we still are," said Fred grimly as he settled down on the straw for the night. "And we always will be."

**Hermione's POV**

"I'm back," came the voice of Remus from the foyer. Tucking Draco's hand beneath the covers and making sure the cloth was still on his forehead, I left his side to travel down to the new arrival.

"Did you find any pain relievers?" asked Tonks, coming out of the kitchen, red tomato sauce covering her arms.

"No, unfortunately. I searched some of the wizarding homes near here but couldn't find any...since most of the houses were in pieces it was to be expected though. I came back as soon as I could to check up on everyone here."

"We're fine, Remus," laughed Tonks. "Although I am suffering from a few minor burns from the stupid sauce you told me to make."

"Draco isn't doing so well," I said softly, making myself known to the adults. "He has a pretty high fever at the minute and already reopened a few of his cuts...don't worry, I fixed them," I said in response to Tonk's facial expression. "But I'm afraid that if we don't get it down he might die..."

"I'll go take a look," said Tonks, "Remus, if you'd be a dear, mind watching that bloody sauce? It's driving me crazy!" Leaving the dumbfounded werewolf in her wake, the young auror made her way to Draco's room, me close behind.

When we entered, I frowned to see Draco tossing and turning again, the blankets cast on the floor. "No...please...stop it..." he moaned, tears streaming down his cheeks, "stop it..."

"Nightmares," said Tonks simply, crossing the room and rewetting the cloth that had miraculously managed to stay on his forehead. "Those can't be helping the matter at all." With a mothering touch, she pushed his sweaty bangs out of his face, a frown on her lips. "We need to cool him down," she murmured, "his fever is much too high. Hermione, go fill the bathtub with freezing cold water, okay?"

"Yes, Tonks," I said, dashing away to complete my task. Plugging the drain in the tub, I turned on the cold water, the spout gushing in gallons of clear liquid. Tonks came in a moment later carrying Draco, now stripped down to only his boxers.

"In we go," she said, easing Draco into the tub. As soon as his body hit the cold water, he jerked instantly awake.

"W-what?" he asked, looking around the room in a sort of daze, eyes somewhat glassy. Besides lowering the fever, I now realized it might help to numb some of the pain he was feeling.

"Lie back down," instructed the auror, pushing on Draco's chest and sending his body back into the rapidly rising water. "Relax Draco, everything is okay. It's your cousin and Hermione, we won't do anything to hurt you."

Kneeling next to the tub, I dipped my hand in, yanking it back out with a yelp. "That's freezing!" I exclaimed, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around my cold limb. "Don't you think he could get frostbite or something in there Tonks?"

The orange haired woman looked up, her hands busy holding Draco down. "With his fever so high I don't think he'll get sick. We need to cool him down as quickly as possible and this is the best way to do it. If his fever rages too out of control he could die, lapse into a coma, or just be really sick and none of the options sound that great."

"It's s-s-s-o c-c-cold," Draco chattered, gingerly wrapping his arms around his body. "Why c-can't I g-get out?"

"Because we need to drop your temperature," I said, smiling warmly down at my newest friend. "It'll be over soon...besides, your leg doesn't hurt as much, does it?"

"N-n-no. B-but it's t-too c-cold!"

I looked at Tonks with puppy dog eyes. "He's been through enough, Tonks...do we have to make him suffer now?"

She sighed and looked from the shivering Draco to my pleading eyes and gave another sigh. "All right. But don't expect me to be nice again. His health is more important then his comfort level but I guess one time won't hurt. Would you mind getting some towels and bringing them back to his room, Hermione? We'll meet you there in a sec."

Tonks plunged her arms into the water and scooped Draco out and held him securely against her, not seeming to be bothered by the cold. By the time she'd arrived, I already had towels spread out on the bed to catch all of the water.

Gently, she set him down and began to pull off all of the wet bandages while I dried as carefully as I could without opening any of his injuries. "We need to get you out of those," said Tonks, nodding at Draco's meager clothing. "I'll go find something of Harry or Ron's that they might have left...Mione, could you get Remus? I think Draco would rather have a fellow guy around to help him out."

I nodded and left the room, now starting to feel slightly like a servant but not minding. Tonks was like my mom now, an older woman I could look to for comfort and advice and if running around the house was what she wanted me to do then I'd gladly do it.

"Remus?" I asked, standing in the doorway to the kitchen. The DADA professor looked up from stirring a pot, several noodles gripping the spoon. "Tonks wants you to come upstairs for a minute...Draco needs to get dressed and she thought it would be best if you did it..."

"All right then, would you mind watching the spaghetti?" he asked, placing a lid back on the pot. "Just stir them around from the bottom every few minutes and check the sauce every once in a while."

"Will do, Remus." We were passing each other when suddenly I was pulled into a fierce hug, tightly embraced by Remus.

"I'm so glad you're all right, Hermione," he said softly, pulling me away to look at me face to face. "You've still got that same spirit I saw you with last time. Whatever you do...make sure you hang onto that, understand?"

"Yes, Sir," I said quietly, tears brimming in my eyes at the show of affection. With his thumb, Remus brushed away the tears and then gave me a kiss on my forehead before continuing out the door.

For the next twenty minutes I settled into the boring chore with calmness, glad for the task to do. Unfortunately, it wasn't busy enough to keep my mind off of all of the problems we were facing.

What was going to happen to Draco? How sick and injured was he?

All of my friend's still back at the castle...what's happening to them?

What happens if Marlin and the others find us?

Why were the Death Eaters looking for Dumbledore?

Why does the sauce smell like it's burning?

The sauce! Tearing off the lid, I looked in horror at the dark brown goop that covered the sides of the pot. Taking the spatula, I stirred the remaining sauce quickly to prevent any more burning and then scraped off the burnt parts, dumping them in the trashcan.

"I can't even make sauce," I moaned, dropping into a chair. "What can I do?"

"You can go comfort your friend," said Remus gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. "He's not doing the best right now and would probably appreciate seeing a familiar face." With a worried smile, I left the kitchen and entered Draco's room.

"Mione?" asked Draco hoarsely, lying shivering on the bed. "I don't feel good." And even though Draco had a seriously high fever he was still cold; not a good sign. His mind told him he was cold but his body knew better.

He lay only in a pair of emerald pants, ones that I recognized as being Harry's, completely on top of the covers with an ice pack on top of his head.

"I know you don't," I comforted, taking one of his hands in mine. "But you've got to fight it, Draco. We're trying to help you and we need all of your support possible."

"But I'm cold," he moaned, "and everything hurts. If I move it hurts and if I lie still it hurts...I don't like this, Mione."

"It'll all get better with time," I replied, wishing there was something more I could do for him. It was obvious he was in pain yet nothing we did helped. If anything, it seemed to make him feel worse. "Just hang in there, Draco."

Tentatively, I pushed Draco more to the left side of the bed and then scrambled in next to him, my arms wrapping around his waist. "Better?" I whispered, hugging him to me. He nodded, burying his head into my shoulder, shivers still racing along his body.

A small frown made its way onto my face as I realized how serious Draco's situation was. I know that dying had occurred many times in my mind but it was always with the image of blood loss, or being tortured to death, or some other horrible way. But the fact I might lose Draco to a fever? That scared me more then ever.

Because unlike the other ways, this one we had no control over. Bleeding we could stop, injuries we could tend, but stopping a fever without medicine? Basically impossible.

A few minutes later the door opened and both Tonks and Remus entered, both sporting the look of worry. "Has he changed at all?" asked Tonks softly, sitting down carefully on the foot of the bed. "Guess not," she said in answer to her own question, taking in Draco's pitiful state. "Mione, you might want to get off the bed...we don't need you sick too."

Slowly, I unwrapped my arms and slid off the bed, landing with a slight thump on the floor. Standing back up, I noticed Draco had fallen into a fitful sleep, face still holding two cherry splotches. "Isn't there anything we can do for him?" I asked, turning to the adults.

"He has to fight the fever on his own," answered Remus, his face grim. "The most we can do is try to lower it from the outside and make sure he drinks plenty of fluids so he won't dehydrate."

"Do you think his leg wound might be infected?" mused Tonks, tapping a finger on her chin. "Somehow he had to get a fever and besides malnourishment I'd say an infection of one of his injuries is causing this problem."

"But didn't we already treat his calf?" I asked, slightly puzzled. "When we wrapped it, it was perfectly fine, just a little bloody still."

"And that blood might have caused the infection," said Tonks gravely. "We'll have to unwrap it and check. If it is nothing then at least his leg is getting a new bandage. Remus, hold him down in case he wakes up. Hermione, you might want to take his hand..."

I was already at my position, the pale hand clasped tightly in my own. As gently as she could, Tonks rolled up Draco's pant leg and began to unwrap the long bandage we'd put on earlier. Small flecks of dried blood came off the outer layer, perfectly normal for his injury. So far, I didn't see any problems.

But as Tonks finished, a light yellow substance was starting to coat the bandage, thick and gooey making it cling to the wrap. "Look," said Tonks, pointing at the would Remus had so carefully stitched up. "It's pussing."

And it was true. The yellow pus was oozing out of the wound, probably causing the infection and Draco's high fever. "We'll have to clean all of this up," said Lupin, reaching for a damp washcloth. "Do you think we should take out the stitches and redo them?"

"That'd probably be best," answered Tonks slowly, propping Draco's leg up on a pillow. "We have to clean it out inside to make sure we get it all." Taking the cloth from Remus she handed him a needle, thread and scissors. "Do your best, Remus," she said with a small, nervous smile. "Hermione, you stay there in case he wakes up."

I nodded, giving Draco's hand a small squeeze. Painstakingly slow, Remus began to cut the threads, pulling each one out and throwing it into the small trashcan next to him. Tonks wiped up the pus on the outside of the stitches, being careful not to get in Remus's way. Draco twitched occasionally but fortunately not enough for him to wake up or disrupt the work on his leg.

"Well, now we can see why he wasn't feeling so hot," muttered Tonks, her face going slightly ashen. I leaned forward to see what had happened, my stomach churning at the sight. Remus had successfully removed all of the stitches so we could now see the open wound, filled completely with the yellow goop.

"That's disgusting," I murmured, closing my eyes and trying to will my stomach to settle down. "What do we do now?"

"Clean it out," answered Remus wisely, already beginning to scoop the pus out. "You can look, Hermione," he said about ten minutes later, slight amusement in his voice. "The skin is inflamed, another sign of infection. Hopefully with all of the pus removed the inflammation should go down and his fever with it."

"That's good news," said Tonks cheerily, beginning to rewrap Draco's calf. "Hopefully Draco will be as good as new in no time!"

"That's not quite the case," said Remus, pushing his graying hair out of his face. "Emotionally Draco may never heal. Physically, he might not either."

"Why not?" demanded Tonks, hands on her hips.

"The injury to his leg was pretty severe. Even though we've fixed it the muscle was still punctured. Think of it this way," he said, spreading his hands wide, "if someone were to break their wrist and get it fixed in the muggle way it would be fixed, correct?"

"Right..."

"But because it wasn't done with magic their may be stiffness and the user may not get full range of motion back or use of some fingers. In Draco's case the muscle was ripped completely and the stitching we did couldn't fix it. He may never be able to walk again because of the injury."

"Never?" I whispered.

"Never."

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

Reviews feed the muse for chapter thirteen. :P Thanx a bunch everyone for your kind words!


	9. Remembering the Past

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to the wonderful J.K.R...not me.**

**Black is Our World**

**Remembering the Past**

Hermione's voice, singing softly sounded above me accompanied with the tapping of her foot. The strong scent of tomato sauce wafted into my nose and I took a deep breath, trying to remember the wonderful smell. What it resulted in was a deep cough rising in my throat before it wracked my body, each jar causing numerous amounts of pain.

"Draco!" exclaimed Hermione, her hands gripping my shoulders tightly to keep me still on the bed. "Don't move," she cautioned, turning me gently onto my stomach. Her hands began to rub my back in hopes to help the coughs subside.

"Thanks," I muttered once a small amount of air had been returned to my lungs.

I was flipped gently back over once more to see Hermione smiling down at me. "Still a slight fever," she said with a frown, drawing her hand away from my forehead. "How do you feel?" she asked, concern shining in her honey brown eyes.

"A bit sore," I answered truthfully. "My right leg hurts the most though...and everything is kind of fuzzy looking..."

"A bit sore for you is blinding pain for everyone else," she remarked sarcastically. "No need to be a man about everything, Draco," she uttered softly. "If something hurts please let us know. We're here to help."

"Okay," I whispered, my strength ebbing away from me like the tide from the beach. "How long have we been here for?" I asked weakly, closing my eyes against the harsh glare of the single candle sitting on the nightstand.

"Not even a day. It's about ten at night though right now...you've been asleep for most of the time we've been here. After your 'surgery' you developed a pretty bad fever and you've been in bed rest all day. I'm just thankful it started to go down."

"Mione?" I questioned softly, my eyes still closed. "Tell me honestly...how bad is my leg?" I knew it was in pretty bad condition from just the way everyone was treating it. I'd heard what Tonks said about she stitched the skin…did that mean it was completely healed or just fixed?

"Umm..." She turned her back to me, hands clasped in front of her. When she turned back around her eyes were filled with tears, the droplets clinging to her dark lashes. "Tonks s-said th-that y-you m-might never b-be able t-to w-walk a-again."

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice slightly choked. If I couldn't walk that would mean I would be a cripple...a handicap. I needed to be able to walk! In these times if you weren't able to move from place to place quickly you'd die if Voldemort and his Death Eaters caught you.

"Oh, Draco!" she cried, throwing her arms around my neck and burying her face in my pillow. Inching over, I allowed her to pull her rather slender body up onto the bed next to me. Her arms wrapped tighter around me, her shoulders shaking with sobs. "It's not fair," she mumbled into the cloth. "You don't deserve this."

Hesitantly, I moved one of my arms and began to gently play with her long brown locks, needing to keep my mind focused on something besides the pain while I waited for Hermione to compose herself and tell me what was wrong.

Gradually her body relaxed next to mine, her breath hot on my cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered, rising back to a sitting position. "I had no right to do that...you're the one with the injury..." Bending down, she placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, her lips leaving a brush of coolness to my burning head.

"What's wrong with me?" I questioned, trying desperately to keep the fear out of my voice. Hermione must have heard it though because she gave me a watery smile and took my hand in her own.

"The muscle in your leg was ruined," she said gently, "and we couldn't fix it...we sewed the skin back together to prevent blood loss. But without magic we can't do much and unfortunately that's what we have to work with. No muggle medicine and no magic...just the bare necessities."

"So I'm never going to be able to walk again?" A single tear trickled down my cheek, stinging the small cuts, but I made no move to brush it away.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "Chances are you won't be able too...but maybe you can. I want you to be able to walk," she said softly, tears streaming down her face once more. "You're such a strong person...not being able to move around will just break you, I know it."

I slowly nodded, more tears flowing down my cheeks now. "Why?" I whispered, staring up at Hermione. "Why does everything bad always seem to happen to me? Sometimes I wish I had been in Ron or George's place...then nothing would ever hurt me."

"Don't you dare even think of suicide," hissed Hermione, glaring at me almost angrily. "We've gotten this far Draco. We're still _alive_! That's more then what others can say, isn't it? And we're not going to back out now!"

"You're right," I answered meekly, turning my head so I didn't have to see the disappointed expression on her face. "We are alive...but is that even enough? Who else is out there to help us? You, Remus, Tonks, and me. We're four against thousands, Hermione," I said softly, "and I can't even do anything. We're all just going to die."

"Then the least you can do is have hope," she responded determinedly, her hands turning my head back so I was looking at her trustful face. "We can do this if we have hope, Draco," she said firmly, eyes seeming to pierce inside of me. "Don't you dare ever lose that faith...it's Voldemort's greatest weakness and our greatest weapon."

"You sound like Dumbledore," I chuckled softly, "saying all that smart stuff in riddles." It was then the conversation I'd overheard between Father and Voldemort came back full force. "We need to find Dumbledore!" I gasped, sitting up and waving my arms wildly. "It's important!"

"Calm down," she shushed, pushing me back onto the bed. "What about Dumbledore?"

"I need to speak to Remus and Tonks," I said urgently. "I heard Father and Voldemort talking about a prophecy that only Dumbledore had. They're looking for him, Hermione...that's why they kept asking us. Father was going to give me veritaserum and that's why I ran. They didn't know I'd been awake and heard the conversation."

"I'll go get them," she said, leaping lightly off the bed. "Don't move, Draco," she cautioned before running out the door, her footfalls fading as she moved down the stairs. I didn't dare move any part of me, afraid of triggering new amounts of pain.

Out of all of my injuries I could tell my leg was the most serious. Next to that I determined was the stab wound in my side that throbbed constantly. Fortunately, unlike the calf injury, I wouldn't have problems with that one later.

The lacerations on my back bothered me to no end, my ripped flesh hurting with every brush against the cotton sheets. Sure, bandages were wrapped tightly around them to prevent the whip marks from being touched directly but it still hurt.

A rough ache filled my entire body, the results of my father's brutal raping sessions with me. Tears welled up once more in my eyes at the mere thought of being violated by him and I turned my head away from the door so no one would see when they came in.

Because of him I'm not sure I'll ever trust any male completely again. Remus I had a general amount of respect for. I'd made fun of him my whole third year about the state of his robes and his sick days and then when I'd learned he was a werewolf. But besides all of that, he'd taken me here with open arms and had helped me to the extent of his abilities. For that, he earned some of my trust.

"We're all here, Draco," said Tonks cheerfully, the sound of a chair being dragged across the floor reaching my ears. "Mind turning to look at us?" I felt arms lift my up beneath my shoulders until I was leaning comfortably against my pillows.

I gave a shaky smile of thanks to Remus who smiled back in return and sat down next to Tonks on his own wooden chair. Hermione clambered back on the bed next to me, her hand taking mine beneath the covers.

"Why don't we start from the beginning," suggested Remus wisely, brown eyes full of warmth and understanding for the tear tracks he must have seen on my face. "What happened after the battle at Hogwarts?"

"We were taken to Voldemort's castle," said Hermione thoughtfully, trying to recall the exact event. "All of us were put in cells, Draco and...Harry each got their own. Voldemort was afraid if they were able to converse with the rest of us we'd figure out a way to escape. And we did," she added softly, tears coming to her eyes at the memory.

"What happened?" Tonks asked gently, noticing Hermione's reaction to the escape.

"George died," she said simply, taking a deep breath before going on. "From what I heard, Marlin, one of the higher Death Eaters, was about to kill Fred when George took the blow. Ron got injured in the fighting..."

"Is he all right?" asked Remus, brown eyes mirroring Tonks' for concern.

"He's dead," she muttered, staring down at the bed. "Marlin used him as an example to the rest of us...he burned him at the stake and we all had to watch." She clenched her right hand into a fist, lower lip trembling.

"Merlin," breathed Tonks, her eyes widening in horror. That was the only thing anyone said for a time, the only sounds now the rustling of the bed covers or the squeak of a chair whenever anyone moved.

"There is nothing we can do now," said Remus said a few moments later. "The best thing is to keep going forward and save those that are still able to be saved. Can you tell us what happened next?"

"Voldemort dueled Harry," I said, taking over for Hermione. "Voldemort won."

"So Harry is...dead?" I gave a short nod, the movement jarring my back injuries and I let out a low hiss of pain. Next to me, Hermione shuddered and buried her face in her free hand.

"Don't move, Draco," scolded Tonks gently, her heart not really behind the words, the drawn expression on her face making her seem years older.

"Then what?" asked Remus, voice wavering slightly.

Once more I took over, knowing fully well that Hermione was much too upset to talk. "Father took me away after a little while," I said, a sudden shiver racing down my spine. "Voldemort came in and said he had something important to discuss with him. Father gave me a sleeping draught but I didn't drink it all. They were talking about a prophecy," I murmured, turning my silver eyes to look at Remus and Tonks. "Something about how Dumbledore knew the other one...it told of somebody who also posed as a threat to Voldemort. They're looking for him," I whispered. "Hermione got hurt because of it..." I gave her hand a gentle squeeze, now time for her to be comforted.

"They tried to give me veritaserum thinking I was still asleep. I managed to get Father's wand and ran for it," I said, eyes glimmering a small victory. "Hermione and I both escaped and almost got out of the grounds."

"Almost?" questioned Tonks, confusion on her face. "But you're here now."

"Rest, Draco," said Hermione with a sniffle. "I'll take it from here." I gave her the smallest of nods and let my eyes close tiredly, my whole body screaming for sleep. "We tried to sneak out as Death Eaters," she explained, "and got caught. Marlin said he was going to teach us a lesson for trying to escape...I asked that he give me the entire sentence. Draco was in no condition to be being beaten...he came back half dead the night before. Marlin, being the bastard he is," she snarled, "decided he'd give Draco the entire punishment. That's how he got his leg injury," she said softly, voice dropping in pitch. "We were both brought back up to the castle and put in our cells.

"While we were there Draco transformed into his animagus form, the stronger half taking over for a little while. I managed to change into mine and we both left to get help. Draco collapsed a few hours after we'd escaped and we settled down for the night. Then we found you, Remus, when we were walking."

"I too have heard about the prophecy," said Remus. "That's the whole reason I was out in the first place; I was looking for Dumbledore. He'd hinted at the last Order meeting that a greater secret was being withheld and only he had the answer, but he didn't want to tell as not even he knew the answer yet. Of course, it didn't mean much to us at the time but now I realize it must be the secret to defeat Voldemort."

"But where is Dumbledore?" asked Hermione, throwing my bed covers over her legs to keep warm. "I thought he might have been here but it appears he isn't..."

"I know for a fact he's weak," said Remus, a frown forming on his tan features. "Prior to the attack he gave me this." The werewolf reached into his pocket and came out with a bright red phoenix feather. "He enchanted it so we could communicate. But it won't work anymore...it's because the spell feeds off of his energy...if he doesn't have much to spare it will stop working. As we speak Dumbledore might be dying...we must find him as soon as possible."

"But we don't even know where to look!" Hermione exclaimed, "how are we ever going to find him?"

"No clue," said Remus with a shrug of his shoulders. "We'll just have to pick a random direction and head off. Dumbledore may have left clues to his whereabouts with refugees like us or with animals of some sort."

"We can worry about this all later," said Tonks firmly, standing up. "It's almost eleven...Draco needs his rest and so do you Hermione. You've both had a very long day."

Remus came around the bed and gently eased me down back onto the pillow, a soft sigh of relief escaping me. The pressure of holding myself up against the bed was beginning to take its toll and lying still relieved most of it.

"Someone should stay with Draco," said Tonks, "he might need help during the night."

"I'll stay," volunteered Hermione, sliding her entire body next to me. "That is, if Draco doesn't mind." I gave a slow shake of my head, inching it over to give the girl some of my pillow.

"All right Hermione. But don't catch any of my cousin's sick germs," warned Tonks, pushing her chair back against the wall. "Sweet dreams to both of you." Bending over, she gave Hermione a kiss on her forehead and me one on my cheek, her hands brushing my bangs out of my face. "You're safe here...don't worry. Good night." Blowing out the candle she exited the room, Remus having already left after a wave. Darkness surrounded us save the pale strip of moonlight streaming through the curtains, the beam falling across the foot of the bed.

"Are we really safe here, Mione?" I asked, turning my head to face her. Flipping over, she came nose to nose with me, brown eyes looking like dark pools in the half-light.

One of her hands came out from beneath the covers and gently cupped my cheek, her thumb caressing it softly.

"Nothing is going to happen to us," she whispered. "Tonks and Remus will protect us. And I'll protect you."

I opened my mouth to protest but she shook her head, brown hair fanning out like a halo behind her head.

"You're always trying to be the defender Draco, the one who watches out for everyone. It's time you let someone protect you."

Giving her a small smile I closed my eyes once more, seeking reassurance from her. Hermione's hand left my cheek and once more took my own hand beneath the blankets, offering comfort in the simplest of ways.

"Good night, Draco," she murmured, placing a chaste kiss on my cheek, hot breath tickling my face. I didn't answer, sleep already claiming me as its own.

xxx

My body slowly came to, silence reigning around me. "Mione?" I whispered, squeezing her limp hand. The lack of response let me know that the Gryffindor was still sound asleep, locked in her world of dreams.

"I wonder if it's true," I whispered to myself, as carefully as possible attempting to sit up on my own. I needed to feel some sort of achievement on my own. Sitting up is a hard task but one I attempt to accomplish.

Concentrating fully on my set mission, I pushed my hands against the mattress, attempting to give me some lift off of the bed. Panting heavily, I managed to lean weakly against the headboard several minutes later, my energy almost completely spent. But there was still something I had to do.

Taking a calming breath I swung my left leg over bed, followed quickly by the right. A sharp intake of air was the only noise I made to show that I was in pain, not wanting to wake anyone in this early morning.

Gingerly, my left foot touched the wooden floorboards and then my right. Nothing bad happened. Forcefully, I shoved off of the bed and loud out a loud cry of pain as flames seemed to race up my right leg and I crumpled to the floor, blinking the tears that had formed away furiously.

Hermione slept through my attempt but it appeared someone else didn't as footsteps sounded running down the hall. Tonks threw open the door, a candle clutched in her hand. She was clad in a simple pair of blue, drawstring pants and an overlarge white tee shirt, orange hair glowing in the weak light.

"Draco," she gasped, and quickly crossed over to me. Setting the candle carefully on the nightstand she knelt down on the floor, and scooped me into her arms, myself letting out another hiss of pain as my body was jarred.

"That hurts," I whimpered as she stood up and began to walk towards the open door, each step banging my injured body around.

She remained silent as she went into another bedroom, the covers hastily thrown off the bed and piled on the floor. Gently she set me down on the bed, still not saying a word and lit another candle, the light illuminating a clock on her dresser saying it was about five in the morning.

Just as quietly, Tonks picked up the blanket and placed it over me, tucking it in firmly on the edges. I sat up once more, feeling vulnerable just lying there. She placed a glass of water to my lips and with an unspoken command I took a small sip.

The auror climbed into the bed on the other side and leaned against the headboard as well, eyes raking over my body for any sign of drastic injury. I shivered beneath her gaze and opted to look down at my clasped hands instead.

"What do you think you were doing?" she asked suddenly, the silence broken.

"I...nothing important," I muttered, not wanting to face the truth. I couldn't walk, I couldn't even stand for Merlin's sake!

"You tell me right now, Draco Malfoy," said Tonks, shaking a finger in my face. "You got hurt because of whatever it was and I want to help," she added gently.

"I was trying to walk," I said softly, a tear trickling down my cheek. "And I found out I can't even stand up. I'm useless Tonks!" I cried, voice growing louder with my despair. "What's the point of even being alive?"

"Keep it down," she shushed, "we don't want to wake anyone else up." I looked down once more at the bed, not wanting my cousin to see the tears continually leaking out of my eyes. "And you're not useless," she said softly, drawing my gently into her warm embrace. "You're the best cousin I could ever wish for."

"And why's that?" I sniffled, my emotions getting the better me. "Who would ever even want to look at me? I'm tainted and no good...I'll I've ever done is cause other people pain. And all I'll ever be good for is a toy whenever someone wants to play with me."

I was roughly pulled all the way to my older cousin, my face pressing against her chest as she rocked slightly back and forth, her arms tightening their grip. "Damn Lucius," she snarled beneath her breath, nails digging into my arms without her realization for her anger at Father. "I'll kill him with my bare hands," she growled, rage clear in her voice.

"You're hurting me, Tonks," I whispered, wincing as I felt wet blood trickle down my arms, staining the bandages there red. "Please stop." I'm not sure if Tonks didn't hear me or if she chose not to listen. Her nails continued to sink into my flesh and I desperately tried to escape her iron like grip. "Let me go," I whimpered, pressing my back against her arms to try and free myself.

"Dirty bastard. Deserves a nice long trip to hell," she hissed, voice venomous. If Father had been in her sight I'm quite sure he would have died from just the look she would have given him. "Doing that to his own son..."

"Please, Tonks," I begged, "let go." I knew I had to make her drop her arms or she would soon cause serious damage to my arms. With my luck I'd probably have scars. Biting back the howl of pain that rose in my throat, I maneuvered my right leg until I was kneeling on both of them.

Letting the right leg take all of the weight, I kneed up with my left, catching Tonks hard in the stomach. Abruptly, her arms loosened and dropped to clutch her stomach, me taking the chance to back away from her, falling off the bed in the process.

Crimson liquid flowed freely down my abused arms, the blood dropping to the floor as I backed away, wanting to get as far away from Tonks as possible. I knew that she was a kind and caring person but she had just hurt me. Not intentionally of course, but I don't want to be near her while she's in this state incase she does it again.

Seconds later, after I 'd backed myself into a corner, Tonks looked up, her amethyst eyes sparkling with tears. "I am so sorry, Draco," she said softly, sliding off the bed and approaching me. Her finger tips were all bright red, my blood leaving its mark. "I'm sorry," she repeated, the tears now trickling down her cheeks.

I gave a soft moan and tried to back farther into the corner when her hand lightly touched my shoulder. Her arms wrapped once more around me, this time in a gentle embrace, her chin resting atop my head. "You gave me your trust and I lost it," she murmured, "I just let my feelings take control. I never meant to hurt you Draco, you have to understand."

"I forgive you," I whispered, "you didn't mean to hurt me." Her hand tilted my chin up, forcing my silver eyes to look into her purple. In the shining orbs I could clearly see love and guilt floating in the whirl of emotions. It was then I truly forgave Tonks. Unlike Father, she did feel bad that she'd hurt me and that earned her back some of my trust.

"Let's get you back to bed," she said, cradling me securely in her arms once more before placing me gently on the bed. "And let me bandage these up," she said, taking a roll of bandages from her dresser.

"Tonks?" I asked as the witch wrapped my arms. "Am I really never going to be able to walk again?"

She looked up at me, a sad smile on her face. "Chances are yes," she said, "but I'll still have you do some leg therapy. In the least it will at least help strengthen them so they won't hurt as much when you move them. Would you like to start that after breakfast?"

"Yes, please," I answered politely, trying to keep my voice from wavering.

"It'll be all right, Draco," she said comfortingly, placing her hand on my knee. "You'll see, everything will turn out in the end." I nodded, not daring to speak least my voice actually crack. Tears were rapidly filling my eyes as the truth slammed against me, leaving me helpless to do anything about it.

_'I'll try,'_ I vowed. _'I'm going to walk again no matter what everyone says. Like Hermione said, I have to have hope. She wasn't speaking about my leg but the concept is still the same. I will walk again...I know it.'_

"Why don't you go back to sleep for a little while?" suggested Tonks, pulling the blankets over me. "I'll be right here," she said, climbing into her bed with a book in hand. "I'll wake you up for breakfast, sound good?"

I nodded again and closed my eyes, tired by the events that had just occurred. I fell asleep to the sound of pages turning, the soft melody lulling me back to the void of blackness that suddenly wasn't so black anymore.

xxx

"Wake up, little cousin," called Tonks gently, her voice rousing me from my slumber. "I have breakfast for you to eat and then we'll get started on some therapy. Open your eyes so I know you're awake," she ordered.

Blearily I cracked one vibrant silver orb open and Tonks chuckled. "I don't get it," she laughed. "You can wake up at five and try to walk but at nine you can't even open both eyes!"

"They're both open," I grumbled, both eyes narrowed in a mock glare at the auror. "But I don't want breakfast."

"I know your stomach still isn't accepting food," she said calmly, "so I prepared the lightest meal I could. Do you want to sit up or me to raise you?" My pride, despite how much it hurt, wouldn't allow me to take assistance and I shifted myself until I was leaning against the headboard once more.

"Where's Hermione and Remus?" I asked, trying to divert Tonks' mind from my breakfast.

"You scared Hermione quite a bit," chuckled the witch, "when she realized you weren't with her anymore. Thought you'd been stolen. But I told her you bunked with me last night and she calmed down quite well. But as for your question, both she and Remus are searching the cellar for any type of potions that might be down there. We're incredibly low on supplies and scouring the house is our best bet."

"How long can we stay here?" I asked. "Why haven't the Death Eaters found it yet?"

"It's hidden by magic," Tonks said brightly. "Unfortunately, we will have to leave soon. With magic shutting off all over the area we'll stick out like a sore thumb. I give it less then a week before the Death Eaters find us. We must leave before then. Now time for breakfast!"

"Tonks!" I groaned, turning my head away from the bowl the auror pulled off of the tray. "I don't want anything!"

"You're weak and underfed," she said sternly, "and to regain some of your strength you need to eat. Nothing is too hard on your stomach so you should be fine. Now open up."

Reluctantly I allowed Tonks to feed me a watered down oatmeal and give me more water. "Am I done now?"

"Yes," she said with a smile, surveying the empty bowl with pleasure. "I just want you to relax for now, okay? I'm going to massage your muscle to try to loosen it up. It's going to hurt so be prepared. But if it starts getting beyond your control tell me to stop, understand? I don't want to hurt you if you're in immense pain."

"All right," I said softly, a wave of self-doubt washing over me. Was getting this treatment really the best decision? _'Of course it is,'_ I chided myself. _'If you ever even want a chance of walking again I have to deal with this.'_

Tonks stripped the blanket off of me and rolled up the right leg of my pants, the bandages wrapped firmly around my calf now visible. "Remember, if it hurts too much tell me," she warned.

Her finger tips closed on each side of the wound and began to massage it as gently as she could although ribbons of pain still shot up my leg and through my body. I let out a soft groan and tried to relax my body more to relieve the tension.

For the next hour Tonks continuously kneaded the injured spot, leaving me feeling even worse then when she'd begun. "I thought you said this was going to help," I managed to choke out, voice thick with tears.

"It will in time," she said gently, pulling the blanket back over me. "You just lie here and rest, okay Draco? We need you to heal enough so you can be moved without being in major pain."

I knew what she meant. She didn't think I'd be able to walk within the week and Remus would have to carry me. Then again, I don't think I'll be walking in that short time either. I gave Tonks a forced smile as she left the room to go help Remus and Hermione.

"I still feel worthless," I muttered once the witch was out of earshot. "I can't do anything and am only taking up their time. Time they need for more important things...and I want to help but as soon as I move everything hurts. And I don't feel good at all...guess I should be glad the fever disappeared though. That's a plus."

**Lucius' POV **

"What do you mean?" I snapped, throwing an angry glare at the messenger in the doorway. The lower Death Eater trembled beneath my gaze and I smirked in satisfaction, glad to have that kind of intimidation over others.

"Just like what I said Lucius," he quaked, blue eyes wide in fear of my wand that I twirled idly between my fingers. "A large amount of energy was spotted about forty miles from here but then it just disappeared."

"Get out of my sight," I snarled, raising the wand suggestively. The younger member fled, boots clacking loudly down the stone corridor. "This is definitely an interesting sighting," I mused to myself, once more twirling my wand. "Was it a mistake on the scanner's part of was it real? Perhaps a group of refugees. But even they know not to use their wands with the tracking devices everywhere..."

With a sigh I picked up the wine glass sitting by my elbow and took a long, slow sip, eyes staring into the dancing flames in my fireplace. Without Draco around life had gotten quite dull. None of the other captives offered the same intriguing qualities that my son had.

When I'd heard about Draco's escaped I'd been furious. He'd been an animagus and had never told me? That was unacceptable! And because I didn't know his one secret I had lost him and the Granger girl. Hopefully both would perish outside with nowhere to go. After all, Draco was severely injured due to Marlin's punishment. But the thing is...I want him alive. My hand tightened around the wine glass, knuckles turning white with pressure. I had become addicted to him like a drug...I needed more...more of his screams and pleading. More of the utter helplessness he felt while I reigned supreme power. More of the look of fear in his eyes whenever he looked at me. To see his body curl in fright when I touched him, to hear his soft moans of pain and resentment. I realized I was panting, the wine glass now broken on the thin handle, blood red liquid staining the carpeting.

"You're coming back Draco," I hissed, ignoring the mess I'd made. "You're mine."

Another knock sounded on the door to my private chambers and another Death Eater strolled in, this one being Marlin himself. "Tut tut, such a mess you've made," he said with a smirk, wrinkling his nose at the spilled wine. "Whatever happened?"

"Nothing," I said curtly. "What is it you want Marlin? I'm quite busy."

"Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I came to inform you that our Lord wishes for us to check on some of the newer camps. Deal out some punishments if need be."

"That sounds like an excellent idea. I think some blood would ease my mind. Shall we go?"

The camps were set up by my Lord and operated by captured wizards, witches, and muggles. There was no point in us having to grow food and raise cattle, servant's things. So all of the strong and able bodied people who had been smart enough to not defy us had been spared, the rest of their pitiful lives dedicated to working for us.

But after a time prisoners would rile up and then examples would have to be made. With the promise of a good kill on my hands, I walked from the room, broken glass shards glittering in the firelight.

xxx

"You have to hold on," the young man cried, clutching the frail woman's hand within his callused one. "Don't you dare die on me, Sibyll Trelawney...don't you dare die."

"My time draws near," she rasped, blue eyes shimmering with tears, the large glasses she normally wore now gone. "I was not meant to live here William...as a slave. It is you who must escape...you can and you will."

"You can't go," the red haired man sobbed, pulling the Divination against his chest. "Fight it, Sibyll...fight it."

Earlier that day the woman had been force fed a poison by one of the many guards on their camp. She had been slowing down work, the sheer labor not meant for one as flimsy as herself.

Instead of giving her a quick Avada Kervada or pulling out the death in torturous ways, the Death Eaters had decided to test a new poison they had brewed, supposed to kill the victim within four hours.

The two figures were lying off in the forest, hidden from view of the other slaves and the guard. It was here the long time teacher planned to die, surrounded by the trees she had come to love so much. They were the only things that still had beauty she always said, the one treasure left.

"You must flee William..." she gasped, the poison almost finished with its work. "Remember that I care about you...go on your strengths, fight them...you must...get...away..."

Her pulse flickered beneath his touch before it suddenly started to beat out of control. Opening her mouth, eyes wide but blank, Trelawney murmured:

_"Crystal lights line the way,  
Shimmering softly, gone by day.  
From the first battle ground,  
Follow the trail up, then around.  
Down the copper snake you shall go,  
Heed your step or you'll face woe.  
Through the moonlight bathed pond and towards the trees  
Let yourself blow in the midnight breeze.  
Behind a shower, made of rainbows,  
Is a hole, only a stone's throw.  
This is where the old one lies,  
Out of sight of prying eyes."_

"Sibyll?" the man asked, confusion etched on his freckled face. "Sibyll?" His hands repeatedly checked for her pulse once more, the stringy blonde hair blowing gently in the wind. A faint beat met his fingers and he smiled in relief.

The smile quickly changed when he felt it slow, the woman seeming to be slumbering. Tears gathered in his sapphire eyes as he pressed his hand to her wrist, looking desperately for a pulse.

There was none.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

There ya go! And a new character! Yay!

Reviews feed the authoress, since the muse doesn't need any. :P


	10. Fleeing From Safety and Death

**Disclaimer: I'm still claiming no rights (as much as I'd like to) to Harry Potter.**

**Black is Our World**

**Fleeing From Safety and Death**

It had been four days now since Hermione and Draco had escaped from Voldemort's lair. A strange, calming routine had settled into the residents at Grimmauld as they passed their time. At seven breakfast was served promptly for Hermione, Remus, and Tonks while they let Draco continue to sleep upstairs.

When Tonks finished her meal she'd bring up a small plate of food for her cousin, applesauce and oatmeal normally the main servings since he still was having trouble holding anything down after being deprived of food for so long.

While Draco ate, Tonks would gently massage his right calf to lofosen the muscles up, the process slowly beginning to hurt less every time. Then, when Tonks and Draco had a therapy session, Remus and Hermione would scour the house looking for useful things they might need on their journey to find Dumbledore.

At twelve everyone would break for lunch, Remus and Hermione bringing the meal up to Draco's room so they could all eat together. After lunch was when Tonks and Remus would go play a game of chess or read a book while Hermione stayed with Draco, normally just enjoying each other's company in silence.

Once more at three Tonks would massage Draco's leg and try to have him put small amounts of pressure on it, although as soon as the pain became too much she'd make him stop although the Slytherin would much rather have kept going even if it did hurt. The sooner he could walk would be better.

Dinner was held at six, a meal Draco didn't take as the sight of such a large serving making him go slightly green. He was content to sit alone upstairs and listen to his friends below in the kitchen. Starting at eight was when everyone took a shower, save Draco who happily got to get a bath, and prepared for bed. And at ten was when heads finally hit the pillows in exhaustion as they each realized that they had to leave this comfortable style to go out and find the prophecy that could defeat Voldemort.

At this time it was the resting period between twelve thirty and three and Draco and Hermione were sitting quietly in the boy's room, Hermione reading a book while Draco watched her, reading not appealing to him at the moment.

"Is something wrong, Draco?" Hermione asked, looking over the top of her book. "You're awfully quiet."

"No...I'm fine," Draco murmured, twisting the bed cover in his hands. "Just kind of bored...that's all."

"Do you want me to get a book for you? Or do you want to play chess or something?"

Draco smirked, knowing how much Hermione hated chess. The smile wavered and dropped back to a small frown as he realized the reason they were all being so nice. A cripple...that's what he was. He wasn't allowed to walk, or do almost anything on his own, instead having to be fussed over like a child.

"Draco?"

"Huh? Oh, no thanks, Hermione. I'm just going to rest; go back to your book."

"If you need anything don't hesitate to ask, okay?"

"Yes, Mother," the Slytherin remarked sarcastically, eliciting a laugh from Hermione, the silvery tinkle bringing the smile back to his face.

Her head bent back over the text, brown waves falling over her face before, with light fingers, she pushed the strands behind her ears, honey eyes still focused on the book. Draco couldn't help but admire the tiny little things the girl did that made Hermione, Hermione.

The way her nose wrinkled whenever she was deciphering a new piece of information and the way her eyes flicked rapidly across the face, at times tears shining if the novel she happened to be reading contained some part that brought on her sadness.

The sounds of the pages turning as she deftly turned the paper, the way her fingers skimmed over the words when she had trouble separating the lines. The way she would smile or laugh for joy when something good happened.

The way her lips upturned and she would look at him, her cheeks flushed with happiness, eyes dancing with life. The way she leaned backwards and rested her head against his shoulder, her dimpled face turning to look up at him. Firmly, Draco shook his head, startling Hermione so that she sat up, no longer leaning on him.

"Draco? Everything okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Everything's fine." Still glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, the Gryffindor turned back to the mystery novel she was reading, hunched forward so she was no longer touching him.

_'What was all that?'_ Draco yelled at himself mentally, lips turning down in a frown once more. _'Hermione's just my friend! Nothing more, ever!...calm down...get a hold of yourself Draco. You must just be more tired then you thought.'_

A loud shout from downstairs startled both teenagers and they turned to look at each other as some very dirty words poured from Tonks' mouth. "BLOODY BASTARDS! DAMN IT ALL! REMUS! REMUSSSSSS!"

"I'm going to go see what's wrong," Hermione whispered, the need to be silent suddenly prevailing. Just as the girl slipped off of the bed the door swung open with a bang, a livid Tonks standing there.

Her hair was extremely short and spiky, hot pink in color. Her eyes were flashing a dangerous red while her cheeks were flushed with anger. "Hermione," she snapped, "go collect a small bag with some of your clothes and things. Then go help Remus grab some food from the kitchens."

"What's going on?" Hermione queried, voice quavering with fear.

"They found us," answered Tonks bitterly. "I was out scouting and I saw a large group headed this way with some sort of tracking device. They must be feeling the magical source from the house and we need to get out before they get here. Hopefully, we can make them think it's just an abandoned place."

Hermione nodded and swiftly left the room, her footsteps fading down the hall at a fast pace. "As for you," said the auror, turning to Draco, "Remus is going to carry you, all right? Just wait here, we'll get you when we're ready to go."

"Can't I help?" Draco pleaded, trying to rise from the bed, only to have Tonks forcefully push him back down.

"Just. Stay. Here," she ground out, before rushing out of the room to the kitchen.

"I burned the Order's Plans, Tonks," Remus said calmly, packing a loaf of wrapped bread in a knapsack and putting in several apples after it. "And my clothes are in that small duffel over there," he said, pointing at a green cloth bag, "as are Draco's. I grabbed some of Harry and Ron's old things...I didn't think they'd mind."

"And you, Hermione?"

"My stuff is right here," she said, patting the shoulder bag resting by her feet. "And I'm sticking yours and Remus's wands here too. Or do you think it would be safer if you carried them?"

In answer, Tonks took her wand from the outstretched hand and stuck it into her blue jean jacket pocket, Remus sticking his in his pocket. "Make sure you put on a jacket, Hermione," said Tonks, eyeing the girl's tee shirt with uncertainty. "Remember, we'll probably be outside for most of the time."

"I have my spring coat right here," the girl said, patting her waist where a pale blue lightweight jacket was tied. "Do you want me to go get Draco ready?"

"Please do. Make sure he's dressed in something warm and change his bandages...we have about ten minutes before they'll find our exact location and how to get in...so hurry. It isn't much. We still have to be out of the area by the time they come."

"Right." Taking the steps two at a time, Hermione entered Draco's room, the blond lying down on the bed, a grimace on his thin face. "Draco, are you asleep?"

"No, I'm awake," he muttered, pushing himself to a sitting position. "I thought Remus was coming to get me."

"I think he is...I'm just here to help you get dressed...you'll need something warm since we'll be outside and the nights get rather cold. Sit there, I'll go get something." Crossing the room, the brunette rummaged through the drawers and came out with a short-sleeved red shirt and a navy jacket. "Tonks also wanted me to rewrap your bandages...do you mind?"

"Just don't wrap too tightly," he warned, shrugging off the shirt he'd been wearing, the bandages bound around his torso and arms now visible. Picking up the salve and a new roll of bandages from the nightstand, Hermione kneeled on the bed behind Draco, her fingers nimbly unscrewing the jar and spreading the antiseptic cream over the many lashes.

Once she finished his back, the Gryffindor moved around and started on his chest, a blush rising on her cheeks, not noticing the one on Draco's face either in her attempt to keep her head down.

Tonks, who came up to Draco's room to gather some of the extra medical supplies, did notice and a smile crossed her face, even in the grim situation. _'Looks like Remus and I aren't the only ones with feelings for each other,'_ she chuckled to herself. "Hey, Hermione? I want you to go wait by the back door, okay? Just stay there with the duffels. We'll meet you in a minute. And keep a lookout for Death Eaters, we don't want to be snuck up on."

With a mumbled reply, Hermione slid off the bed and retreated from the room, her head still down to hide the redness of her cheeks. Draco's pink tinge was fading faster than Hermione's until by the time Tonks reached the bedside, his cheeks were once more alabaster white.

"Looks like Hermione finished most of you," remarked Tonks, rolling up Draco's pants leg and changing the dressing on his calf wound. "Put this on," she ordered, tossing him the tee shirt and jacket. "OY! REMUS! WE'RE READY!"

"THEY'RE HERE TONKS!" screamed Hermione from downstairs. "I THINK THEY FOUND THE FRONT DOOR!" A few seconds pause and then, "THEY DID! THEY'RE TRYING CHARMS ON THE DOOR!"

"LEAVE THROUGH THE BACK DOOR NOW HERMIONE! GO!" shrieked Tonks back, yanking down Draco's pant's leg, extracting a howl from the boy as her nails scratched his tender flesh.

Remus dashed into Draco's room and scooped the boy into his arms, clamping a hand over the youth's mouth to prevent anymore accidental cries from the rough handling. Together, he and Tonks leaped from the top balcony, landing with a thump in the front hall.

Behind the werewolf's hand, Draco let out a cry as his whole body jarred and instinctively he dug his head into the crook of Remus's arm. Tonks lead the way into the kitchen, grabbing her duffel and Remus's from the floor, Hermione having already grabbed the bag of food.

Easing open the back door, the trio slipped out to see Hermione crouched down by some overgrown shrubs on the back wall. "They're coming around," she whimpered, "I can hear them." And sure enough, muted voices could be heard from around the corner, the crackling of dried grass accompanying the people.

"It only sounds like two or three," mused Tonks, shifting the bag on her shoulder. "Hermione, you go with Remus and Draco off of the property. Just keep heading straight, I'll catch up."

"We're not leaving you, Tonks," growled Remus, moving Draco slightly to reach for his wand. "You're not going to face those people alone."

"Draco can't do anything! Hermione doesn't have a wand," the young auror whispered angrily. "They'll die if you just let them stay here. Now go!"

Looking back nervously at the pink haired woman, Remus dashed across the yard and into the dense shrubbery of the next door's old vegetable garden, before continuing northward, his pace set in long strides.

Tonks watched them go wistfully, not sure if she would be able to keep her promise. "I can't use my wand," she murmured, suddenly realizing the consequences that would come with it.

The Death Eaters would pick up on the magic and realize that the house wasn't abandoned like they wanted them to believe. Sticking her wand back in her jacket, Tonks picked up a rather large rock in each hand and dunked down, preparing to hit whoever happened to walk around the corner.

"I can't believe it," a strange voice muttered, his feet scuffing against the ground. "We're sent here because Lucius didn't want to come out of his quarters...what a laugh."

"We must remember," said a lower voice, a mocking tone to it, "that Lucius did lose his son...and such a fine catch must be hard to lose after having it around for so long," he added lustfully.

Tonks growled under her breath in anger, knuckles turning white as she clenched the rocks tighter. How dare they talk about her cousin like that... Dodging out from her hiding spot, the woman threw the rocks at the robed men, the marks hitting dead on.

The two Death Eaters dropped like flies and Tonks allowed herself a victory grin. "That wasn't so hard," she smirked, racing past the fallen forms and in the direction her group had taken. "I should catch up in no time."

And just as the auror had predicted, she soon saw her companions ahead, Remus setting the pace at very fast, Hermione having to jog to keep up. "I'm here you guys!" she called softly, sprinting to reach them. "We should get out of this area a.s.a.p., those guys I knocked out should be waking up soon."

"Are you okay, Tonks?" asked Hermione worriedly, looking over her friend for any sign or injury. "Did you get hurt?"

"Nope, I'm perfect," she said brightly, falling into place between Hermione and Remus. "Those bastards didn't even know what hit them."

"You're sure you're okay?" Draco looked at his cousin with concern, his head resting against Remus with his legs hanging over the wizard's arms, a slight grimace on his face whenever he was bumped too much.

"Nothing to worry about, Draco," she answered, ruffling his hair fondly. "Are you doing all right? Can't say you were exactly ready to leave."

"I'm...fine," he gasped, breath hitching in his throat as Remus leapt over a hole several feet deep in the ground.

"We should probably keep going for a while and then find a place to camp down for the night," mused Tonks, twisting her hair, now black to blend in better with her surroundings, around her finger.

"Good idea," agreed Hermione, "we need to rest and Draco needs a break. Speaking of which..." Turning to the Slytherin, she said, "Remember, try to go to sleep or at least rest...you need to regain your energy as quickly as possible."

"I know," Draco said tiredly, closing his eyes, the pain still etched clearly on his face. "I'll try."

For several more hours they hiked on, making it out of the town Grimmauld had been in and through two others, both desolate and burned to the ground, work of the Death Eaters.

They had been out on raids, destroying anything muggle made by either burning it or disintegrating it with their wands. As the Death Eaters agreed, muggle objects were worthless and held no place in their new society.

The only muggle things good were muggles themselves. The weaker ones, along with wizards and witches, were killed but the strong or pleasing ones were taken to the camps to use in whatever ways they were wanted or needed.

"We should stop now," murmured Tonks, dropping her duffel bag beneath a gaunt tree. The group had made their way into a forest bordering the edge of the third town, the vegetation still thick and leafy, hiding them from potential attacks.

Hermione collapsed on the ground, her dark hair sticking to her neck and forehead, her breaths coming in sharp pants. Remus gently as possible set Draco down on the ground, a small moan escaping the boy's lips, his whole body being attacked with waves of pain.

"Well...we made the first night," Remus said wearily, sitting down next to Hermione, Tonks picking up the blond and setting him in her lap, smoothing his hair out of his bright silver eyes, currently closed in a restless slumber.

"We can't do this everyday," Hermione whispered, resting her head against the rough bark of the oak. "Draco is in no condition to be moved around like this and we haven't a clue where we're going. What's the point?" she sighed, her head dropping down between her knees.

"Never knew you to be pessimistic, Hermione," chuckled Tonks. "True, we haven't a clue of where to find Dumbledore, but as long as we're distancing ourselves from the Death Eaters we'll be safer. And right now that's all that matters."

"But what happens if we run into one of their camps?"

"What camps?" asked Remus sharply, sensing a new threat.

"When I was still captured, we often heard the guards talking about camp checks. After a little bit, we realized that these camps held captured muggles, wizards, and witches alike to do manual labor and anything else the Death Eaters required. The inhabitants aren't dangerous, but they are quite well guarded...the way they always talked, it seemed like there were a lot in England and not so many others in the rest of the world- which makes sense, I guess, since most of the Death Eaters are stationed here."

"And unfortunately, we live in England," realized Remus. "So we could be headed straight for one and not even realize it...this isn't good...not good at all."

xxx

Not a sound. Nothing moved, nothing stirred. Nervously, I glanced right and left before creeping out of my cabin, pressing my back firmly against the rough-hewn clap wood boards.

I knew the consequences if I were caught. Death by means of torture, whatever those rotten Death Eaters could come up with on the spur of the moment. And everyone else in the camp would be forced to watch, to see what happened if you tried to escape.

But I had to take that chance. Living a worthless life here is even worse then dying. Here you slave away for the people you despise, whipped or beaten if you don't go fast enough or do something wrong.

Every waking moment I spend in fear, afraid they'll suddenly decide to make an example of someone to demonstrate their total power, that person possibly me or anyone else who might show a spark of defiance.

I must go as soon as I can...that time being now. Sibyll Trelawney asked me too...she knows I don't belong here. Alone, I can't make much of a difference, but if I were to find other refugees like myself we might be able to do something...anything.

I must also find my brothers and sister...wherever they are. I know Charlie died, saw it with my own eyes. Same with my parents, they all went down fighting like the proud people they are. But I haven't any idea what happened to any of the others. They could all be dead but I have to have faith...if I don't there isn't any reason in being alive.

My right hand fisted tightly over my shoulder length red hair, twisting it back and dropping it down my shirt, hoping it wouldn't get in my eyes. I'd need a clear line of sight to get out and my hair wasn't about to be the cause of my capture.

Darting swiftly out from beneath the roof, I dove into the forest bordering the edge of the grounds, my heart thudding rapidly, breath coming in muted gasps. Crawling on hands and knees, I made my way over to a large lump of earth beneath a large pine tree.

"Give me strength Sibyll...please help me," I whispered, tears leaking from my eyes as I rested my hands on the crude grave marker, the Divination 's name with the date of her death four days before clearly written as well as a message I had written to honor her. _'A courageous and strong-hearted woman; you will not be forgotten.'_

As if in answer, wind whistled through the trees, a single red leaf floating down to land before the tombstone, and I smiled, knowing that her spirit was with me. Rising from the ground, leaf in my pocket, I stole through the woods, knowing to escape I'd have to get past the fence set up around the perimeter.

Vaulting a fence wasn't hard at all...it was avoiding all of the spells and curses woven through the metal links that provided a challenge. But to get out I would try.

Strangely, the fence wasn't guarded, the Death Eaters probably over confident in their abilities to frighten people into submission. Unfortunately for them, I wasn't all that normal. Having grown up with prankster twin brothers I've learned quite a bit on how to get around hidden charms.

Picking up a piece of dead wood from the forest floor, I threw it at the fence, the stick flaring up in smoke as it touched the wire. I continued to do this down a good length of the fence, going up and down as well.

It soon came apparent that the middle and bottom of the fence was charmed, the top wasn't. So all I had to do was make it up past the middle and then finish vaulting over. Death Eaters were naturally lazy I believed, except when killing or indulging in other pleasures. They never thought someone would even get this far and hadn't taken the care to finish the entire fence's charm.

Jogging a few paces back, I looked at the fence, realizing I'd have to jump well over seven feet to avoid being fried to a crisp. Taking a deep breath, I sprinted, blood pounding in my ears, adrenaline pumping in my veins.

A few feet before I reached the barrier I launched myself upwards, my hands reaching upwards for the metal links. Feeling the cool rings in hand, I clutched on tightly before swinging my feet up so my body was curled up against the fence.

Risking a look down a small sigh of relief parted through my lips. I was barely above the line, but I was above. Reaching up, I began to climb before vaulting silently over, now outside of the camp.

Turning around, I looked back, the slaves' house's dark while the Death Eaters were lit up, doing whatever they did at night. "I'll bring back help," I vowed softly, staring at the cabins. "I won't allow them to win."

Taking off at a run, I disappeared into the trees on this side of the fence, my heart soaring in happiness. I was _free._ Free...the word continued to ring in my ears as I set off at a steady pace, directly away from the camp.

"Crystal lights line the way," I muttered, the last words Sibyll had said still in my mind. I hadn't a clue what her riddle meant, but I knew it was important. Somehow, I had the feeling it would help the Light, if I could only figure out what it meant. "Shimmering softly, gone by day... Jeesh Sibyll. Had to make it confusing..."

My hand tightened around the red leaf, a small bit of warmth seeming to emit from the object. "I won't let you down, Sibyll...I'm going to get out and change everything...just watch."

If there is anything good I could say about working at the camp, it would be that it at least kept me in good shape. They might not feed us much, hard for someone with the infamous Weasley appetite, but the work we were forced to do strengthened my muscles.

For about two hours I continued to run at the same pace, only stopping when the world began to go slightly in and out of focus. Leaning against a tree for support, soft voices reached my ears and I immediately tensed, wondering if they'd found me.

Picking up a large branch from the ground, built almost like a club, I approached the area of the forest I'd heard a voice, eyes warily looking about. The talking had stopped and I heard the slightest sound of leaves crunching underfoot to my left.

"YAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" screamed whoever had been one of the voices. Instinctively, I lashed out with my branch, the dead wood colliding straight on with another large club. A woman I didn't recognize was holding it, her cheeks flushed an angry pink.

Her black hair had leaves sticking out in every direction, her pale skin shining in the bits of moonlight coming through the branches. A blue jean jacket clung to her rather small frame; a pair of jeans hugging her bottom half. In surprise, she dropped her weapon, amethyst eyes widening in amazement. "Bill?" she whispered, voice cracking. "Is that you?"

"Tonks," I breathed, recognizing her voice anywhere. Dropping my stick I pulled the woman into my arms in a warm embrace. "What are you doing out here? I thought you were a Death Eater!"

"I thought you were one," she laughed softly into my chest. "Why don't you come back to my little camp? It's just over there," she said, nodding her head behind her. "Remus, Hermione, and my cousin are there too."

"It's so good to see you," I murmured, kissing the top of her head before releasing the woman and following her over the slight hill. Tonks was three years younger then me, myself twenty-eight years old, and I'd always felt like she was the sister I'd never had the chance to grow up with, seeing as Ginny was but a baby when I was older.

"What was it, Tonks?" asked a brown haired man, his face holding worry for the auror.

"An old friend," she smiled, entering the little clearing. "I'm sure you remember Bill."

"Bill!" shrieked a girl, jumping to her feet and throwing her arms around me. It took me a second to register who the person was.

"Hermione!" I hugged her tightly, rocking back and fourth slightly, tears coming to my eyes at the sight of finding friends and practically almost family. "Merlin, what are you all doing out here?"

"We could ask the same thing," chuckled Tonks. "But sit down and have a bite to eat, you look starved!"

Opening a knapsack at her feet, Tonks threw me a hunk of bread followed by an apple and a little portable pack of jelly. Hermione undid a canteen hanging from her side and handed it to me, a soft smile on her face.

I settled myself down next to Hermione on the ground, looking at the group curiously. Tonks placed herself next to Remus who was holding a sleeping boy on his lap. I blinked once, twice, and then a third time.

"Isn't that Malfoy?"

"His name's Draco," Hermione said firmly, "Not Malfoy."

"He's your cousin?" I asked, disbelief clear in my voice.

"The one and only!" Tonks chirped, smiling fondly at Malfoy.

"What happened to him?" I questioned, now noticing the condition he was in. Although his clothes were in good condition, he had several scratches on his face and bruises on his neck. His jacket had been taken off to use as a blanket over his him and long gashes ran up and down his arms.

"It's a long story," sighed Tonks, "that's going to end up being told. But he's not who you think he is, Bill...he's changed. A lot."

"I'll have to take your word on that," I snorted, still trying to imagine Malfoy suddenly turning against his family. Over the summer, I'd always hear Ron complain about the 'slimy git' and all of the names he'd called Hermione or taunted them all. Hard to believe he was suddenly good.

"Let's hear your story first," said Tonks, turning to look at me. "What happened to you?"

"At the battle I was knocked out," I said sheepishly, "by I think a stunning curse. I woke up at a labor camp and began to work for the Death Eaters. A day after me, they brought in Sibyll Trelawney, the only person I recognized out of everyone."

"You mean the divination professor?" Tonks wondered aloud.

"That's right. Four days ago, they killed her with a poison," I muttered resentfully, "since she wasn't cut out for the hard work they made us do. Before she died though, she said a rather strange little rhyme...but I'll recite it later if I have too. Today, I ran away to go find help and get out of there. And that's all I really have to say."

"Did they hurt you?" asked Hermione, leaning her head against me.

"No, I'm fine. Although they did like to torture others who rebelled too much or were too weak...it was their sport."

"That's terrible," the Gryffindor girl murmured, wringing her hands in her lap.

"Now what about all of you?"

"We're kind of separated," said Tonks. "Remus and I were called to Hogwarts, but when we arrived we realized we would be fighting a losing battle. So we apparated back to Grimmauld and were there since until Remus went out and found Hermione and Draco. We had to flee Grimmauld today because Death Eaters found us."

"I guess it's time for our story now," murmured Hermione, her lower lip trembling. "Well...myself, Draco, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Fred, George, Lavender, Neville, Hannah, and Pansy, were all captured and taken to Voldemort's castle..."

"With _Voldemort_," I gasped, eyes widening in horror. "What happened? Where are Ginny and Ron and Fred and George?"

"Let me finish," she said softly, averting her eyes. "After about three months of being imprisoned Draco was taken away by Lucius and he came back in not such great condition...later Lucius decided to make an example of one of us, Pansy. Draco stopped his father from killing her and in return got his Dark Mark branded over. She picked up his sleeve, a skull leering up at me with a black 'x' through it.

"The day after that," she continued, "we all tried to escape. It didn't work." Her voice started to break as tears began to stream down her cheeks, her hands tightly clenching my shirt. "G-George took...a...a killing curse...for Fred and Ron was...was... crushed beneath some...rocks but di-didn't...die..."

"George is dead?" I whispered, my heart clenching.

She only sobbed harder and continued to talk, ignoring me completely. "M-Marlin...burned...burned...Ron at...the stake..." I felt myself growing lightheaded Hermione and the campsite blurring together.

Ron...and George...were dead? But...they couldn't be...they weren't allowed to be. "Tell me you're lying, Hermione," I pleaded, shaking her by her shoulders. "Please..."

"If I said that I wouldn't be telling the truth," she said, regaining a bit of her composure though crystal droplets still fell from her honey eyes. "I'm so sorry, Bill...so sorry." Her arms pulled me into a hug this time, hands running through my hair in an attempt at comfort.

And I let loose, my shoulders shaking with my sobs of sorrow, for my brothers who no longer lived. "What about Ginny and Fred?" I asked suddenly, a wave of nausea passing over.

"They were alive when I got out," Hermione answered gently. "And I'm sure they still are seeing as Draco and I have only been free for five days. Have faith in them Bill, they'll make it through this."

"Ron and George are dead," I repeated softly, not wanting to believe the facts. It seemed just yesterday I could see George and Fred pulling off another of their pranks and teasing Ron, the younger brother laughing with them. "What about Percy?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "He wasn't at Voldemort's with us."

Steeling myself I aked, "What happened after...George and Ronn...?" I didn't want to know...any more pain might send me over the edge but I needed to know...to understand what was going on.

"A day later Voldemort and Harry dueled...Voldemort won..."

"Is Harry all right?" I asked urgently.

"He...he died, Bill. He fought as hard as he could but...Voldermort was just too strong."

The icy feeling that had wrapped around my heart grew stronger, my breath catching in my throat. Harry was dead too? But...he couldn't be. We needed him.

"Do you want me to continue?" she queried tearfully.

"Yes..." I replied, though my heart dreaded to know what came next. I couldn't bear to hear about another death.

"After the duel Lucius came and took Draco away, but Draco managed to get his wand and free my cell...he and I made a run for it but got caught trying to sneak out disguised as Death Eaters...I asked to receive the punishment for both of us...Draco was much too injured to survive a beating."

"Are you all right, Hermione?" I asked, cupping the girl's chin tenderly in my hand, trying to force the ice away. My brothers and Harry were dead...but Hermione was alive. And I was going to help her...she was the closest thing I had to family at the minute. Well, I mean I still had another brother and sister, but she was the one who was giving me comfort...the one who I could protect.

"Yes...my back still hurts a bit from a whipping Marlin gave me earlier, but they didn't lay a finger on me that time...they only beat Draco. Marlin stabbed straight through his leg...he can't walk, Bill..." she whimpered, "and I feel like it's all my fault."

"How is it your fault?" I asked comfortingly, our roles now switched.

"Marlin said that he wanted to cause as much pain as possible...and that involved hurting me indirectly by hurting Draco since I begged for me to receive his punishment..."

"Who _is_ Marlin?"

"Some lead Death Eater," she muttered. "Pretty good friends with Lucius it sounds like...he's also the one that killed Ron and George...and delivered most of the punishments."

I growled in anger at the bastard who dared harm my family and friends, before quieting so Hermione could continue.

"We were brought back to our cells where Draco transformed into his animagus form of the wolf. His stronger half took over for him since he was so weak. I transformed into a wolf too and we both managed to escape. We ran into Remus and have been at Grimmauld until today.

"But how did he get all of those injures? They can't all have been from one encounter...and you said he was already hurt prior..."

"Lucius raped him," Tonks snarled softly, "and beat him. Nearly to the point of death both times from what I've gathered. That boy has put up with so much I'm honestly quite surprised his mind hasn't broken yet."

"It's time we all get some rest," Remus interrupted beforeTonks could start raving about Lucius. "We should take watches though...I'll go first and then I'll wake you Tonks. Bill, would you mind taking the last watch?"

"Not at all, Remus," I replied, wanting to help out my newfound family for the time being.

Tonks curled up on the ground, her arms wrapped lightly around Malfoy, the boy still slumbering although his face was pained. I laid down on the leafy floor, wrapping my arms around myself for comfort.

"Bill," Hermione whispered, snuggling up against me, draping a blanket from a duffel bag over the both of us. "I know I'm not Ron or George, but..."

"Thanks, Hermione," I smiled through my fresh tears, giving the girl a kiss on her forehead. "That means a lot to me." Her response was a smile before cuddling against my body, seeking the body heat I offered.

My arms wrapped tightly around her, my newly adopted little sister. Remus smiled at the both of us and then turned his attention to the forest, eyes looking for any disturbance.

I had hope now...I had a chance to do some good. And with a little faith, I'm sure the change we all make will help...because if it doesn't, we're as good as dead.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

Gomen gomen gomen for not updating this earlier! I've been insanely busy...I had a surprise party (which turned out not being a surprise. one of the neighbor kids blabbed and Mr. P. caught word of it) at my neighbor's and then my internet was being a bitch (:o I swore:P) and wouldn't let me on. Plus, I got a new novel idea. Not fic...novel. I got fed up with my other one and so far I like this idea. I'd luv to stay and chat, but PC hasn't even been started yet! -gasps-

As always, a huge thank you to the reviewers! And if you'd like to leave one this chappie, the authoress would be most happy. Remember, only two more Saturday updates...then I'm out of pre-written chapters.


	11. A Safe Haven

**Disclaimer: Still can't claim HP**

**Black is Our World**

**A Safe Haven**

"Bill…Bill, time to get up," Hermione murmured, shaking my shoulder gently. I stubbornly kept my eyes closed, wanting to stay asleep. The shaking stopped and I thought I was in the clear. Allowing my body to relax, I wasn't prepared for the blanket to be ripped off, the crisp morning air biting at my skin.

"Hermione!" I yelled, jumping to my feet, glaring at the Gryffindor who merely smiled and walked over to a bag to put away the blanket. Looking around the camp I took a deep breath of the morning air, scents of pine tickling my nose.

Remus was digging through a pack and coming up with bananas for breakfast, while Tonks was kneeling next to Malfoy, attempting to rouse him. The Slytherin remained unresponsive and Tonks gave up after a few minutes, instead opting to pick him up in her arms and walk over to Remus.

"What riddle were you talking about last night, Bill?" Remus asked, handing me one of the yellow fruits. "Trelawney has proved to be accurate in two occasions before, both prophecies regarding Voldemort."

"I don't think this one was talking about him," I said slowly. "Do you want me to recite it? It's more riddled then she's ever made them before."

"Please do," said Remus.

I paused a second to collect my thoughts and remember the woman's voice, hand gripping the leaf in my pocket. "Crystal lights line the way, shimmering softly gone by day. From the first battleground, follow the trail up, then around. Down the copper snake you shall go, heed your step or you'll face woe. Through the moonlight bathed pond and towards the trees, let yourself be blown in the midnight breeze." I stopped, freezing up, as the words seemed to flee my mind.

"Take your time," comforted Tonks, "I would already have forgotten it." Across from me, Remus was scribbling down the lines for future reference.

There had been something about a shower…ducks? No...rainbows! "Behind a shower, made of rainbows, is a hole, only a stone's throw. This is where the old one lies, out of sight of prying eyes…that's it," I said when they all continued to stare at me.

"Perhaps the old one is Dumbledore," Hermione breathed, eyes lighting up with hope. "He is old…and he's in hiding."

"That's it!" cried Tonks, pulling Hermione into a hug, the unconscious Slytherin being squashed in the middle.

"Oh thank the heavens you were there when she said it Bill! Never once more will I ever call Sibyll a fraud!"

"What's so important about finding Dumbledore?" I was completely in the dark, the headmaster never having been mentioned at the camp.

"Draco overheard a conversation between Lucius and Voldemort," Hermione bubbled excitedly. "They were talking about a second prophecy that told about someone else who could destroy Voldemort. Dumbledore memorized it and then got rid of the prophecy…he's currently hiding somewhere we're led to believe. If we can find him, we may have a chance of defeating Voldemort!"

"And no one has any idea who this person is?" All three shook their heads. "So we're basically going blindly off of a riddle? What if it's wrong?"

"We'll just hope it isn't," Tonks said gravely, quite different from her normal chipper tone. "Besides, it's our best bet at the moment. What else do we have to work with?"

"Crystal lights line the way, shimmering softly, gone by day," Hermione murmured thoughtfully. "Gone by day…the moon disappears in the day…but so do-"

"Stars!" I filled in, jumping up in excitement. "The first part of the riddle is talking about stars!"

"The first battle ground…well, we've only had one battle," chuckled Tonks. "The riddle must mean Hogwarts…"

"Follow the trail up, then around," repeated Remus. "That must be talking about the stars. So from Hogwarts we have to follow a path of stars."

"What's a copper snake?" Hermione wondered, looking at us for some spark of inspiration.

"We'll figure that part out when we come to it," answered Tonks. "For now we just have to get to Hogwarts."

I looked at the auror faintly. "Tonks, that's over two hundred miles…we're located down by the Northax forest, it's the only kind in England that has this white pine. Hogwarts is about two hundred and fifty miles west of here!"

"Then we'll just have to pick up the pace a bit."

"A bit," Hermione said faintly. "Tonks, I'm not in that great of shape and we're hurting Draco even more! He's been unconscious since yesterday around three! He isn't ready for this Tonks, he isn't healed yet." Hermione looked close to tears, her lower lip quivering in her concern for Malfoy.

Remus leaned over Tonks and pressed a hand to Malfoy's forehead, the boy letting out a soft moan and turning away. "He has a fever again," Remus sighed, running a hand wearily through his graying hair. "And it looks like his leg bandage slipped." Sure enough, blood was seeping through the thin pants Malfoy had on.

Hurriedly, Tonks rolled up the pants leg and grimaced. A white bandage that had been wrapped heavily around the cut was soaked red, the liquid running down the length of his leg. "Bill, can you hand me the roll of bandages in that bag over there?" Tonks asked, nodding her head at the duffel next to me.

Rummaging through the pack I tossed a roll of white bandages at Tonks, who caught them easily. Setting them in her lap, she slowly began to unbind the wraps on Malfoy's leg, dropping the saturated cloth to the ground. My stomach churned at the sight left when the bandages were gone. The skin was red and inflamed around a large, jaggedly sewn cut, blood leaking slowly from between the stitches.

Tonks seemed unfazed by the injury and began to rewrap the wound tightly, ignoring the small whimpers the boy gave off as he shifted in his sleep, perspiration dotting his forehead, face scrunched up in pain.

Hermione took his pale hand in her own, gripping onto it like a lifesaver. "He's so warm," she murmured, using her other hand to feel his forehead. "And we don't have time to cool him down do we? Of course we don't," Hermione laughed softly to herself, "we can't stay here."

A sudden thought struck me. "Umm, hey, guys? There are probably going to be Death Eaters looking for me once they realize I'm not in the camp…" Tonks froze, Remus started, and Hermione's eyes widened.

"Then we'd better get going," Tonks said firmly, tying off the end of the bandage and putting the wraps away. "Bill, could you carry Draco? Remus has his wand and it would be best if we're both able to use them in case of attack."

After a pause I gave a small nod, the idea of Malfoy not weighing well. Tonks scooped the boy into her arms and then gently laid him in mine, her hands brushing through his almost silver hair before dropping to her sides.

I myself was surprised at the heat Malfoy was giving off, a small spark of concern actually beginning to grow inside. He didn't appear to be the cold hearted boy my brothers always talked about.

I'm not sure if it's the way he almost seems to press himself against me, seeking comfort and reassurance in my grasp, or knowing the pain he's feeling and yet he's still fighting that made me change my mind several hours later.

We'd been walking at a rather fast pace, the woods seeming to never get behind us, the sun still being blocked by the large, leafy canopy over head. Malfoy had remained sleeping the entire trek and through lunch, his skin ashen save two bright patches of pink on his cheeks.

"Tonks…can we…please…take a…break?" panted Hermione, collapsing on the ground, hair fanned out around her head, several strands clinging to her sweaty face. "I can't…move…"

"We'll rest for a few minutes…Remus, I hear a stream up ahead. Do you want to come with to fill the canteens?" In answer, Remus handed his wand to Hermione, who loosely gripped it, all energy spent, before taking off the canteen over her shoulder and disappearing with Tonks into the trees.

I carefully sat down next to Hermione, shifting Malfoy in my lap so I could find a more comfortable position against one of the thousands of pine trees. Seconds later, Hermione maneuvered herself off of the needle covered ground to sit next to me.

"He's changed you know," she whispered, honey eyes shimmering up at me. "He really has, Bill…please at least give him a chance."

I blinked in surprise at the sudden change in Hermione. "He's Malfoy, Hermione, remember? The one who said all those terrible things to you?"

"But he's not like that now…when…when Ron died he was crying…I saw it.," she sobbed, burying her head against my shoulder. "And when we were talking about Ron and George he said something nice about them…"

Slowly I felt my anger begin to ebb away into nothingness at the boy in my arms, while Hermione continued to talk. I looked down at him, and a sad smile began to form on my face, knowing that if we continued how we'd been going he wouldn't be with us much longer.

"I'll give him a chance, Mione," I whispered, looking back at the girl, her honey eyes shimmering with tears.

"He deserves one." The smile she gave in return made my whole heart feel light, and I knew I'd done the right thing.

At that second, Malfoy shifted slightly in my arms, a whimper rising up in his throat as his leg moved a bit.

"Draco? Can you hear me?" asked Hermione, leaning over the blond, hand tightly grasping his. "Please open your eyes," she begged.

A pair of bright silver orbs slowly opened, glassy with pain and fatigue. "Mione?" he murmured, seeming to stare straight through the girl. "Where…Tonks?"

"Off with Remus getting water." His face momentarily scrunched with puzzlement. Then it hit me, he thought I was Remus. "Draco, Bill is here with us now. I don't think you ever met him but he's a very nice person."

The bright eyes turned to look at me, and I felt as though I was being scanned through, his gaze so piercing. "A Weasley," he muttered and I felt a wash of anger overrun me. Was he insulting my family? "Good…they aren't so bad."

"Glad you think so," I chuckled, watching as his lips upturned in a small smile.

"When did you…get here?" he asked weakly, eyes starting to drift closed.

"Last night," I answered. "You were sleeping."

Malfoy didn't answer and at a glance, I realized he'd fallen asleep once more, breathing labored and heavy. His cheeks were still bright pink, sweat dotting his forehead and making some of his bangs cling to his face.

"He isn't going to live much longer," I murmured. "His fever is rising fast…I've felt him getting warmer all day. He needs medical care…but there's no way we can find it in the middle of a forest."

"I won't let him die," Hermione said stubbornly, giving the boy's hand another reassuring squeeze. "We're all going to make it through this…we promised to get help for the others and I will not let him break that promise."

"How's he holding up?" asked Tonks, dropping to her knees next to me, the canteen she'd been holding landing with a soft thump on the soft ground.

"Not well," I answered truthfully. "He woke up about a minute ago and didn't sound so good."

"What are we going to do, Remus?" sighed Tonks, looking worriedly up at the werewolf. "He's dying…and we can't do anything."

"We have to do something!" cried Hermione. "You can't let him die!"

"It's not like we aren't trying to heal him," grumbled Remus. "We just don't have anything to heal him with."

Tonks, meanwhile, had been wetting a scrap of a blanket she had torn and had tied it around Draco's head like a bandana, hopefully to help lower his body temperature even a bit. "We'd best be going," the auror sighed. "There's no telling who's on our trail."

With a groan, Hermione picked herself off the ground and took back her canteen. "Do you want me to take him?" offered Remus, nodding his head at Draco, who I had decided to call by his first name at that moment.

"Nah, I'm all right," I replied, easing myself gently up as to not shift Draco too much. "My arms aren't tired yet." Remus nodded and moved to the front of the assembly line, Tonks taking up the rear and myself in front of the auror, Hermione in front of me.

We were still walking through the same forest when night came upon us, the path almost unreadable and trees looming up out of nowhere. "Shouldn't we stop?" asked Hermione, as she tripped over a large root rising out of the ground.

"Just a little farther," encouraged Remus. "Then we'll rest for the ni-" The werewolf suddenly vanished from view, right in front of me.

"Remus!" I cried, dashing forward, not realizing the danger until it was too late. The ground I had been running on ended and down I fell, protectively curling my body around Draco's so I'd absorb the impact.

Seconds later, my back hit something solid, though sort of squishy. "Get off of me," moaned Remus, his face pressed in the dirt.

"Sorry," I mumbled, scrambling off, just in time as Tonks and Hermione came down on top of the werewolf. Also muttering apologies, the girl climbed off, Remus getting stiffly to his feet.

"Where are we?" Hermione whispered, glancing around at the pitch blackness that surrounded us. No one ever got to answer as a shrill voice pierced the air.

"BAKAS! KAMI-SAMA! BAKAS! YOU RUINED MY HOUSE! BAKAS!" A small candle was suddenly seen before a wooden ladle connected solidly with Remus's head, and he stumbled back, wand out and ready.

The light illuminated a rather tiny woman, no taller then five feet. She had to be in her fifties, graying black hair pulled back in a tight bun, her almond shaped eyes burning with anger, bright against the bronze coloring of her face.

Held in her hand, was the wooden ladle she'd used to hit the professor, the other hand holding the candle.

"We're very sorry," said Tonks, stepping forward. "We didn't realize you lived here…but isn't living in a hole a bit odd?"

"A hole?" the woman snorted. "What do you take me for, a horinezumi? I would never step so low! This is an underground network of tunnels…and you just came through my beautiful camouflaged roof!"

"Sorry again," Tonks apologized with a grin. "We really didn't mean any harm…"

"But it is so good to see some other living soul!" the woman cried suddenly, launching herself and hugging Hermione tightly. "You have no idea how lonely it's been down here since my son died."

"Who was your son?" asked Hermione curiously, patting the woman awkwardly on the back.

"Razien, Razi I called him for short. Oh!" she exclaimed, placing both hands on her cheeks. "How rude of me, not even introducing myself. Why don't you all come in for a cup of tea…after you patch up my roof. I don't need any of those robed men finding me in here."

Passing Draco off to Tonks, as Hermione knelt down beside Remus and shook him, I climbed a small footstool the woman had pointed out and had in no time replaced all of the pine branches with the wooden boards above to form a solid roof once more.

Leading us down a rather short passage (I had to duck to make it through), the woman brought us to a round, circular room, other tunnels branching off of it. A small fire crackled merrily away in a tiny stove, a large braided rug filling up almost the entire floor.

Crossing over to a small stove, the woman took off a tea pot and poured tea into the strangest looking teacups I'd ever seen before. No handles were on them and unless my eyes were deceiving me, the tea was green. Wasn't tea supposed to be brown? "Sit, sit," she bubbled, pointing at the rug. Obediently we all settled ourselves, Draco still in my lap, my arms around him protectively.

"My name is Akimara Kagami," she said politely, passing the cups around. "Or as you all say, Kagami Akimara. I'm very sorry for my rudeness earlier…I have been very on edge since Razi died and those men started to come by."

"I'm Remus Lupin," the werewolf introduced. "This is Nymp-" a hand was clamped over his mouth by the auror.

"My name is just Tonks," she smiled. "Really, you don't want to hear my first name."

"I'm Hermione Granger," said the Gryffindor softly, staring down into her tea.

"I'm Bill Weasley," I said. "And this is Draco Malfoy."

"Kami-sama! What happened to the dear boy?" Kagami exclaimed, placing one of her wrinkling hands on Draco's head. "He's burning up with fever!"

"We know," sighed Tonks. "Both he and Hermione managed to escape from You-Know-Who's castle a little while and Draco isn't doing so well."

"You mean the man in charge of all of those other men?" Kagami asked. "I am a muggle as I understand, non-magic folk, but I do understand a bit, especially after listening to those men talk."

"'Those men' are Death Eaters," filled in Remus. "They work for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I am certain then you know of the current situation going on?"

"Not quite," she admitted. "Once Razi died, I haven't been outside at all."

"How did your son die?" asked Tonks.

"He was outside, gathering some wood for our stove," Kagami sighed, staring into her own cup of green tea. "The men came up and saw him and demanded he come with them…we did not know that they were magical at the time…and when Razi tried to attack, they killed him; burned the body… I saw it all from behind another tree and came straight back here…haven't been outside since. But what is happening? I am quite curious…"

"What's happening is the Death Eaters are basically running loose all over the world," said Tonks. "Some of them were put in enslavement camps, like Bill, but he managed to escape, and others are killed. Draco and Hermione were brought directly to that monster…and some things happened."

"But what about that one boy I heard so much about?" queried Kagami. "Harry Potter, I believe."

"Harry died," Hermione whispered. "He couldn't do it…and I don't blame him in the slightest. He wasn't ready to face V-Voldemort…but he had no choice."

"Is there any hope left then?" murmured the woman, twisting her hands in her lap.

"Yes," I smiled, "there actually is. A prophecy was foretold to be with a friend of ours. We have a riddle to find him…unfortunately we haven't managed to get there yet."

"Do stay here for the night," Kagami encouraged. "Draco-chan looks like he could use a good night's rest."

"Chan?" repeated Hermione, eyebrows raised.

"Yes. If you haven't guessed by now, I'm Japanese…chan is a suffix name meaning little. He is under fifteen, ne?"

"I think he's seventeen," giggled Hermione.

"Ah well," Kagami shrugged. "He's so kawaii…we'll leave him as a chan. You, would be Hermione-chan…the term is generally used on girls or children…but that sounds a bit odd, doesn't it? How about Mi-chan? Hai, I like that one better."

"Would you like us to call you anything special, Kagami?" asked Tonks.

"Iie, Kagami is fine. I would feel much too old to be called a Mrs. Bill-kun, could you please follow me with Draco-chan? I have some futons for you all to sleep in…and some medicine. Oh! Remus-san, would you like an icepack?"

"That would be very nice," the wizard smiled at Kagami, having already forgiven her for hitting him earlier. She had merely been acting out of self defense and I honestly couldn't blame her either.

Walking down several more tunnels, Kagami led us to another circular room, this one with another stove for warmth and several odd looking blankets stacked in the corner. "Please make yourselves comfortable," she instructed. "I'll go get some medicine for Draco-chan."

"What are these?" asked Tonks, picking one of the blankets off the stack, after Kagami disappeared down another tunnel.

"Futons," said Remus, examining one. "They're Japanese style beds," he clarified.

"And you know this…how?"

"I saw them in a picture once," he smiled. "Why don't we get Draco in one? I'm sure he'll feel much better in a little while."

Tonks unrolled one of the bundles and I slid Draco gently beneath the layers, removing the now warm bandana and feeling his forehead, a frown creasing my features as he seemed to feel even warmer then before.

"Whatever did happen to Draco-chan?" asked Kagami, rushing back in, her arms laden with several towels, some odd looking night gowns, and a basket hooked on her arm.

"It's a long story," sighed Tonks. "But his leg needs some new bandages and we really need to get his fever down."

"You all go relax," assured Kagami. "If you follow the left tunnel, you'll find a bathroom. Here's towels and clean yukata for you to change into when you're done."

"Yukata?" I repeated.

"A Japanese sleeping garment," Kagami laughed. "You all go freshen up and get some rest; I'll watch over Draco-Chan." The bronze fingers ran through Draco's hair, before lighting on his forehead.

Hermione knelt down and gave Draco's hand a squeeze, before rushing off with a towel and yukata for the bathroom, desperate for a shower. Kagami frowned and placed a wet cloth over Draco's forehead, absentmindedly handing Remus an ice pack.

"You all rest," she insisted, "you look like you're about to fall asleep on your feet." I had to admit, Kagami was right. I didn't even want a shower, just to lie down would be satisfactory. Crawling into one of the futons, I was asleep before I knew it.

**Draco's POV**

Cold. That's all I felt, the only thing that was bothering me. Kind of like when you have an itch on your back and quite can't reach it. Something so little makes you so irritated…that's how I'm feeling.

This chill…it just won't go away. If anything, I keep getting colder. Why? We aren't moving anymore…I can't feel myself swaying. Did we settle down for the night? With a small groan, I forced my eyes open, looking at my surroundings.

We had stopped, that much was true. But where we did…that was what was odd. Above and around me rose dirt and rock walls, nothing I'd seen before in the forest. "Oh good," whispered a voice to my left. "You're awake." Craning my neck slightly, my eyes widened as I saw a woman, her hands clasped in her lap, a dimpled smile on her face. "It's all right," Draco-chan," she smiled. "I'm Kagami, you're at my house."

I opened my mouth to speak, but all that came out was a whimper. "I know," she comforted, taking my hand in hers. "Would you like some tea to drink? It should warm you up." I gave a feeble nod and Kagami left, presumably to get the drink.

During that time, I continued to look around the small room. Different dark holes stood around it, exit ways to somewhere. And four people were sound asleep in the blanket things I found myself, all familiar and all making me feel safer.

Hermione was snuggled up to Bill, while Tonks was leaning against Remus, although I don't know if she realized it. Soft footsteps sounded through the hard packed earth, and Kagami settled herself down next to me, a steaming cup in her hands.

"Do you need help sitting up?" she asked kindly. Stubbornly, I shook my head and attempted to prop myself up, but I wasn't prepared for the sudden jolt I gave my leg, and I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out.

"Let me help." Her arms, though frail looking were rather strong, and Kagami brought me to a sitting position, leaning against her for balance. The cup was pressed to my lips and I took a sip, the liquid warming me inside and out.

Once I was finished, Kagami laid me back down, tucking another blanket over the first. My eyes closed tiredly, all energy spent.

"Nemuri Draco-chan," Kagami whispered, voice gentle. "Nemuri…"

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

And there's chapter eleven. One chappie left. :P I'm posting this from a friend's house...aren't you all lucky I saved it on the sitebeforeI left? As always, reviews appreciated

**Nemuri **- sleep

**-chan **- little

**-san **- Mrs. or Mr.

**horinezumi **- gopher

**Baka - **Idiot, moron; stupid

**Kami-sama **- Lord God

**Kami - **God

**Hai -** yes


	12. From Behind Enemy Lines

**Disclaimer: This is the first chapter where I haven't had to really redo anything! Yay!**

**Black is Our World**

**From Behind Enemy Lines**

The waves rocked the small boat I was in, the deep blue waters spraying up with the wind and soaking all of the passengers. I was leaning over the side, trailing my hands through the water and waiting for the journey to end.

Dawn hadn't even broken when Father came into my room and demanded I get ready to leave on a trip. It wasn't even until we were in the boat that I realized where we were going. The place I didn't want to ever see.

Father said it would be a good opportunity to for me to meet more of our own kind and learn the traditions and customs. After all, I had only joined at the very end of the school year and hadn't a clue of what I was supposed to be doing.

The major problem is…I don't want to be what I am. I never wanted to hurt anyone. Father always told me I was weak, and it never bothered me. I knew I was weak. I wouldn't even kill an animal, except the occasional mosquito, which is actually an insect. But that's beside the point.

I don't know why I didn't stand up to him, tell him no. But it's too late now. We're in control…we've taken over. If I said I wanted out, I'd probably be killed, not something that's at the top of the list in my mind.

Living a lie is hard. Sometimes I just wish I did have the guts to either take my life or let someone else do it for me. But so far, I've clung to living. I don't really know what for. It's not like anything is ever going to change.

We're too powerful…too many. We plague the world, filling every country and killing the millions of people that live there, or taking the strong ones for labor or I hate to say, though it's true, for our own selfish desires.

Never have we done one good act in our lives…always killing and preying on the week. We don't deserve to live, but yet we do. We are strong, and the rest are weak. But…I'm not that strong, I am weak. So why was I spared?

I know many died…many who were the same age as me, had the same dreams, the same wishes. I've had to watch people I've grown up around for seven years killed firsthand, actually having to do some of the killings myself.

But unlike my fellow members, I made each death swift…painless. Two quick words and it was over. Those people, once alive and warm, now lay stone cold on the ground, eyes still wide in horror.

So far, for the entire time that we've been in control, I haven't done much of anything, good or bad. I normally just stay in my room, looking at pictures and news articles before any of this ever happened, remembering the good times.

"Get up boy! Unless you want to fall into the water!" A hand grabbed me by the back of my robes and back into the boat, dropping me roughly on the bench, my thoughts scattering.

"Sorry," I muttered, knowing how much that had probably just embarrassed my father. Leaning back more comfortably against the side, I listened to Father speak to one of the men who'd come to bring us to the castle. I had been confused at first…why must we take a boat? But Father informed me that in the middle of the gigantic lake we were in, was a small island. Only from there could you apparate to the castle. He said that our lord didn't want just anyone coming and going from other parts of the world to his keep.

"What do you mean they escaped?" I heard Father ask, disbelief evident in his voice. I leaned forward, the topic capturing my interest. Captives had escaped? Amazing…from where? Who?

"That's the truth," one of our guides, Guido, said. "Just ran off. From what I've heard, Marlin found the two before they could get out of the grounds, gave the boy a pretty hefty beating, but they still somehow managed to escape. But I don't know how."

"Idiot," mocked Kaseko from the helm. "They were both animagi, you dolt. Two wolves to be exact. The boy was silver and the girl was brown."

"Who were they? The people that escaped I mean?" Father asked.

"The girl, I heard, was that mudblood bitch up at Hogwarts. Head girl before we broke in," chuckled Kaseko. "Makes sense for her to get out, doesn't it? Being such a smart-ass witch and all."

My breath caught in my throat. Granger had escaped? She had been at Voldemort's castle?

"It was too bad though," chimed in another Death Eater. "Marlin was really beginning to take a shine to her. Never even got her in bed before she escaped." All of the men laughed, while my stomach coiled in disgust.

"Who was the boy?" asked Father, still chuckling.

"I can't believe you don't know this one," snickered Kaseko. "Lucius was so upset, losing a prize as fine as that must have been awful hard on the man."

"And this is a boy?" Father said skeptically. "You make it sound like a girl."

"He was pretty enough to be," sneered Kaseko. "Had a beauty about him, he did. And a rather stubborn streak about him as well…though Lucius did a pretty good job of breaking it before he managed to get away."

"But who is it?" Father persisted.

"His own son," the Death Eater sneered. "A pity he got away. It's rumored by the others there that he was a mighty fine being to unleash your troubles on, if you know what I mean. Only sad thing is, Lucius wouldn't let anyone else have a go at him. Fair by all means I think, but still."

I tuned out the conversation, my stomach now doing gigantic flip-flops. Only one thought kept repeating itself in my head. '_Gods Draco…what happened to you?' _

**Hermione's POV**

"How can we ever thank you enough?" asked Tonks, hugging Kagami tightly before letting the woman go. "You've done so much for us."

"Iie, it is you who have helped me. I have been very lonely and your company, if only for a day, means a lot to this old woman."

It was just after ten in the morning, and we were all saying our goodbyes to Kagami, the kind woman who had taken us in after we'd fallen through her roof. While we were in her underground home, we all got the chance to freshen up, relax, and Draco got some much-needed medical care.

Kagami, when we were all asleep, had taken care of Draco through the night and had even placed a simple, yet firm, wooden splint on his leg so it wouldn't bend as much. He'd been bandaged and given some medicine to help lower his fever, and Kagami had even given Tonks some extra for later.

Draco was sound asleep, currently in Bill's arms with a blanket wrapped around him.

"I wish you all luck on finding your friend," Kagami smiled, leading us now down a narrow passageway. "May Kami watch over you on your journey."

With final good byes, we exited out of the small door that the tunnel led up to and back into the forest. "Let's see," said Lupin, looking at the map Kagami had given him. "We head north for a little while now," the werewolf said, "until we come to a river…we'll follow that west until we reach the lake next to Hogwarts. Let's get going."

A line was formed once more, Lupin in the lead, followed by me and then Bill with Draco, and Tonks taking the rear. About an hour into our trek, Draco began to stir and Lupin called a halt.

"Draco?" I whispered, kneeling down next to Bill after he sat down, and holding one of Draco's limp hands.

With a small moan, his eyes opened, blinking up at us.

"Do you feel any better?" asked Tonks, kneeling beside me. "I have some more medicine if you need to take it."

"I'm…feeling better," Draco murmured, his eyes closing. "Just let me…sleep for a little…while."

"You do that," laughed Tonks, giving his other hand a squeeze. "Good to see you feeling healthier." Seconds later, the Slytherin had fallen back into his own world and we began to walk again, myself enjoying the light pace.

This reminded me so much of the hikes my parents and I used to go on when I was a kid. Every fall, we'd head up to the hills behind our house and hike through them, collecting multi-colored leaves in our travel, and always bringing a picnic lunch to enjoy on top of our favorite hill.

'_If only life were always this peaceful,' _I thought, twirling around amongst the fallen pine needles. '_If only things could stay like this forever. That, would be just perfect.'_

xxx

About half an hour later, the boat bumped against the small island, and I heaved a sigh of relief. My stomach was still queasy, from both the boat ride and the way the other occupants continued to talk about Draco, as though he were some item that could be bought.

I knew my friend had always been strong willed, sometimes bordering on evil. But last year, after winter break, I noticed a change in both him and Pansy. Not drastic, like they started to pass out friendship rings to Gryffindors or anything like that, but almost a new confidence about them.

Draco seemed to be more carefree then I'd ever seen him, sometimes smiling, really smiling, at something Pansy or I would say to him. If we were lucky, he would laugh, his laugh much like little silver bells, sweet and charming, nothing like the mocking laughter he used when making fun of others.

I knew his mother had been killed over break, the newspapers said by an attack on her heart, but I'm not entirely sure. And although Draco seemed upset at first when someone would bring it up, he soon just started to smile when it was mentioned, and say he was happy that she was someplace better.

"Get out of the boat, boy," Father growled. I started and realized I was the only one still sitting in the bobbing vessel. Thankful my hood was covering my blushing face; I clambered out onto the ground, my legs shaking after sitting for so long. All around me, my fellow Death Eaters were pulling out their wands and apparating to Voldemort's castle. "Our Lord," I whispered, the words to transport us to the castle, and I was then whisked away in a mad torrent of light.

Seconds later, I felt myself fall to the floor, cold marble beneath me. Sitting gingerly up, I glanced around the large receiving hall we'd landed in and felt a chill pass through me. Something in this room spoke of death and pain…

At once, I was hit with flashes of memories that had been somehow stored in the air, though none of the others seemed to be affected.

_Pansy, being led kicking and screaming, her clothing ripped and torn, eyes bloodshot, up to the center of a wooden platform erected in the middle of the room. Lucius Malfoy, standing in front of her, a sneer on his face before he aimed his wand, a flash of green shooting off._

_Flames, shooting high in the air on the same platform, a figure barely visible through the fire. Screams and crying sounded, though the person being burnt alive made no noise, a pair of blue eyes simply scanning blurred forms._

_Voldemort, his foot pressing into Potter's back, Granger being held off to the side and crying, as the famous hero suddenly went limp, his life gone._

_Draco being pushed onto the same platform, screams sounding from him a second later as Lucius pushed a brand against his Dark Mark, his black eyes glittering with pleasure._

I shook my head reverently, the images disappearing. I'd read about this sort of thing in Charms class before. Unknowingly, if a memory is so strong or so laced with emotion, some of it will leave the user and float around where the event happened. Those who are somehow thinking of the person or a similar event at the same time have access to the memories.

So those scenes I'd just saw…they were real. They had happened. Had Pansy died? My heart raced and fear clenched me, myself suddenly very afraid for my long time friend. I knew Potter had died, Father was rejoicing when he heard, but that person on the stake…I think it was Weasley. He died too?

Glancing around, I saw other Death Eaters emerging from various doorways and coming to greet our party. "Father," I whispered. "Would it be all right if I went to see the prisoners?"

"Whatever would you want to do that for?" he asked. "It's filthy down in those dungeons."

"I just want to mock them about Potter's death," I lied easily, in truth just wanting to see who was down there.

"All right then. Go ask Kaseko for directions."

In all ways possible, I'd really rather not talk to Kaseko, but he was my only choice. The man, surprisingly, gave me the directions without a fuss and went back to talking to some of his friends. Surprisingly I found that the cells where they were keeping the prisoners were on the main level, not some underground room that I'd envisioned.

After walking down one of the many halls in the castle, I came to a large, wooden door, locked firmly. Muttering the spell to unlock it, I covered my nose at the stench that wafted up. People were actually living down there? Descending cautiously, I used the meager light provided by the torches along the wall to judge my footing on the rather uneven ground.

After a few minutes of walking, I found myself in between a row of cells, occupants regarding me with fear and also hatred. My deep blue eyes scanned the first cell, taking in the poor condition of the people, all just about my age. I recognized Fred Weasley, one of the infamous twins who were always playing pranks on students at school. And teachers for that matter.

Neville Longbottom, sat next to him, brown eyes glaring at me while both he and Fred had an arm wrapped protectively around a girl between them, who I recognized a minute later to be Lavender Brown, a Gryffindor at Hogwarts.

Turning, I looked in the other cell, also housing only three occupants. The littlest Weasley was there, Ginny I believe her name was. She stared numbly at the floor, refusing to meet my gaze, the only thing anyone could see from the shadows of my hood. Next to her was Hannah Abbot, a Hufflepuff that I'd had in my Herbology class. And standing in front of the two other girls, arms wrapped protectively around herself was…

"What are you looking at?" she hissed, eyes flashing dangerously. "If you're coming in here to get one of them, you're going through me first."

"Pansy," I whispered, voice cracking. I had seen her die though…in those images…Lucius had killed her. So how was she standing right here in front of me? "It's me…"

I removed my hood, Pansy's hand going to her mouth to cover her gasp of surprise. "Blaise," she murmured, stepping up next to the bars. "Is it really you?"

"It's me," I smiled, before taking a step forward and wrapping my hands through the bars to hug the now sobbing girl. "I thought you died," I whispered, my head pressed against the bars. "I saw it upstairs...Lucius killed you."

"No, no," she cried, stepping back and wiping tears from her eyes. "Draco pushed me out of the way…the spell killed one of the guards instead. Gods Blaise, what are you doing here?"

By now, I could feel eyes boring into my back and I noticed some of the fear leave the Weasley girl and Abbot's eyes as they rose and stood next to Pansy. "I don't even know why I'm here, truthfully," I said, a small frown on my face. "Father said he wanted me to get more experience with belonging in this…not that I want to be a Death Eater," I said quickly, feeling the gazes harden. "I got pulled in and telling them I'm leaving would be a death wish."

"Do you have any news from out there?" asked the Weasley twin anxiously. "Are Hermione and Draco still free?"

"First explain this to me," I said, sitting down between the cells so I could look at both groups. "Did Lucius really do what I think he did to Draco?"

"He did," hissed the red haired girl, a spark of life coming back into her eyes. "Raped him…more then once. He would've died one time if Hermione didn't treat him."

"I'll kill him," I growled, rising to my feet. "How dare he do that?"

"Please Blaise," Pansy begged, latching onto my robe. "Don't do anything stupid. Please…"

With a sigh, I sat back down to inform them of what I'd heard so far. "This is the current news," I said stretching my legs out in front of me. "A few days ago, some of the Death Eaters discovered a house hidden by spells. They say it looked like it was lived in recently by they think, renegade magical folk. Two of our scouts were knocked unconscious with large rocks, so there was no magic involved there."

"Where was it?" the Weasley girl asked, eyes lighting up.

"Dunno really. But they say they found a lot of Potter's things inside…and Granger's, and a ton of Weasley stuff."

"Grimmauld," the twin gasped. "They found Grimmauld!" Seeing my confused look, he said, "That's the HQ of the Order, a group that was against Voldemort. So if they found it, that means Dumbledore wasn't there, right?"

"Well, Dumbledore hasn't been found yet," I said. "But they do say about three or four people had been living in it for a while before they ditched."

"Maybe…maybe Hermione and Draco got there," bubbled the youngest Weasley, a smile lighting up her dirt streaked face. "But who else would have been there?"

"There's more," I said, before they could begin speculating. "In one of the prison camps, not that far from that house, a prisoner escaped. I don't know who it was though…just that it was a guy…somewhere in his twenties I think. It's possible he might have met up with whoever came from Grimmauld."

"Things are finally starting to look up," grinned Longbottom.

"And some more bad news," I said, interrupting again. "Death Eaters have successfully captured the entire United States…they didn't have enough wizards and witches over there to fight back…almost everyone there are in prison camps or dead."

"You just had to mention that, didn't you?" remarked Pansy sarcastically, though a smile was still on her face.

"I'd better get going," I said sadly, rising from the floor and dusting off my robes. "I'll be back later…with food and stuff, I promise."

"You'd better keep that promise," Pansy threatened, tears gathering in her eyes.

I took both of her hands in mine and placed a kiss on top of them. "I will. Don't forget, I'm on your side."

"Blaise?" she called after me as I started down the hall. "Be careful, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you."

I smiled and nodded, then disappeared up the steps. I would have loved to free them from their cells…but if they all disappeared, there would be nowhere for them to go for one thing, and everyone would know I did it. But I'll do my best for them…they deserve everything I could ever give and more.

But now…I've found a reason to hope, a reason to stay alive and no longer think about dying. Now…people are depending on me, and I'm going to help them in every way possible. No matter what the cost.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry this is up a day late. T.T But my power was out yesterday and I couldn't very well go on the compy then...and when I came back from a party last night, the power was back, but it was almost midnight so I decided just to upload this morning.

Some things to clarify. This is not the end of the story. This is the last pre-written chapter I have. The rest will be updated at random spurts- no more every Sat. stuff. And Snape **is **dead. It's implied in the first chapter flashback.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. In a sad, but true, statement, the review count is only a little over half of what this story had last time with this amount of chapters. -kicks for deleting fic- So...please review?


	13. Not Knowing Has a Dangerous Price

**Disclaimer: It belongs entirely to Rowling. Although she's scaring me… killing off to charas in the last book? It better not be Draco… or Hermione!**

**Black is Our World**

**Not Knowing Has a Dangerous Price**

The soft clink of silverware and the gentle rustling of cloth were the only noises in the entire hall. All down the table sat Death Eaters, their hoods and masks removed but all still in their robes. The head seat was empty and on either side of it sat Lucius and Marlin.

I gave a slight shiver as a basket of rolls was passed to me and I took two, discreetly sneaking one into a large pocket I'd sewn on the inside of my robe. Just looking at him made me feel queasy…he looked so much like Draco…and so different at the same time.

It's just hard to imagine that Lucius would…would hurt Draco so deeply. I know my friend…he'll never fully recover. That's the thing about Draco…if something happens he builds and wall and forges a mask to the world. He won't accept help and he'll act like he forgot about it and moved on well all the while he's breaking apart.

Then again…he's certainly gained the support of all of our old classmates. Weasley actually seemed…concerned about him. Not something I'd have seen during the school year.

Wherever he is…I hope Granger is taking care of him. I hope he's all right. Hell, I hope they're both all right. I hope they're not hurt. I hope they're safe. I hope they're…

What am I doing? Wishing…hoping…it's all the same. It never works, it never comes true. It's just a false way to try and convince yourself that everything will be all right. But when the whole world is wrong…is there even such a thing as right anymore?

The creak of the chairs as everyone started to rise jerked me out of my thoughts and I stumbled to my feet and faced the front chair, an icy feeling of dread already cloaking over the room.

Gliding towards us was Voldemort…everyone sank into a bow or a curtsy and I hurried to obey, my heart beating unnaturally loud in my ears. I'd only ever seen him twice before…once at the Initiation Ceremony and again when Hogwarts fell. And now, it was the third time and the fear that radiated off of him still hadn't ceased.

Settling himself comfortably in his chair, red eyes watched as everyone rose once more and sat back in their chairs. "It is good to see that you all could come," he hissed, scanning every newcomer who'd arrived this afternoon.

It took me a second to realize that his gaze had fallen directly on me, and his eyes were piercing into mine. '_Legillmency!' _my mind screamed as I felt my memories start to rise to the surface. '_You can't let him know! Think about something else! Anything else!'_

Drudging backwards, I pulled up one of my more recent memories that wouldn't incriminate me…a simple scene of me flying around the backyard on my broomstick…I was careful, of course, to make sure no stray thought of wishing Draco was there with me escaped into his greedy hands.

"You've done well in training him, Nirav," Voldemort rasped, turning his attention to my father, seated on my left. "Tell me, is he loyal to us?"

Father lowered his eyes, and spoke softly. "My lord, I assure you that Blaise has been with us from the beginning. He has been raised in our way and culture and knows nothing more."

I felt Voldemort turn back to me and this time I lowered my eyes to show him respect. "Then the change of sides of young Malfoy has not affected you at all?" he asked and I swallowed, knowing I had to answer.

"I…I was upset at first," I murmured, "That Draco turned away. But he made his decision and he has fallen because of it. I have made mine and will not change it for anything."

A cruel smile appeared on his lips. "Very well. Now, please all do enjoy."

It was strange…eating here almost felt like being back at Hogwarts. Lots of people…a speech before dinner…the hum of chatter. But the difference? Whereas Hogwarts was always very light hearted here I felt one wrong word would have you dead in a second flat.

Besides…I was the only one here that even resembled a teenager. Crabbe and Goyle should have been here but they were killed in the fighting at Hogwarts. The only other people my age were…well, the prisoners. And I doubted very much that I would be allowed to invite them to dinner.

Glancing down at my plate, I mentally tried to figure how much food I would need to grab that wouldn't attract too much attention. After all, Father knew I didn't eat much so if I left with twenty or so rolls he'd be a bit suspicious.

"Father?" I whispered, my hands clenching into fists beneath the table. What I was about to do was risky…and if everyone took my lead then I'd be hurting all of my classmates. But talking in the dungeons was too dangerous…anyone could walk in and overhear.

"Yes?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I…I was wondering if I could bring Pansy up to my room after dinner…"

He chuckled and clapped a hand on my back. "Already wanting to have some fun I see," he grinned. "I would say yes but unfortunately all of the prisoners are not to be handled in that way…our Lord's orders. Only if you have gained favor with him may you select some fun for the evening."

I tried hard not to blanch. I hadn't exactly meant that when I said to take Pansy to my rooms. Although I guess it's better if Father were to think that. At least he won't realize that I'm trying to help the prisoners.

"Any idea how I could gain favor?" I joked, now having to keep up my charade.

"Catch Draco," he answered back, though he said it quite seriously which made my stomach squirm. "Lucius as well as our Lord would certainly like to see him again."

I nodded slowly. "Father, do you think the other prisoners might know of where he might have gone? And Granger?"

It was as if someone had cast a 'lumos' over Father's head while a dark cloud descended upon mine. "They might," he simply said, turning back to his dinner.

"Would it be all right then if I went down and asked them about it? Pansy might eventually tell me."

He shrugged. "If you so desire."

As I turned back to my plate I had the feeling that something horrible had just transpired…and I had been the catalyst.

xxx

As I went down the stairs, my nose wrinkled again and I brought up a hand over my nose to try and block out the stench. And for the second time I couldn't believe _people _lived down there.

I remained standing on the steps for a minute, knowing better than to appear with my nose plugged. As soon as I felt I could go down without my face being contorted into a grimace I finished descending, walking quickly but quietly towards the cells.

"I'm back," I announced, my voice not quite a whisper but not much louder either. Immediately, everyone came to the front of the cells, eyes staring at the bag I held in my hands.

After dinner I had gone to my rooms, and with a bag I'd gotten from the house elves, I had loaded it with the food I had managed to smuggle out under my robes from dinner; two rolls, an apple, an abnormally large chicken drumstick, and a canteen of pumpkin juice (even Dark wizards enjoyed pumpkin juice). From my room I'd grabbed two blankets that had been stored in the closet and a bottle of mouth wash. It wasn't much but hopefully it would help.

As I set my sack down on the ground I stared at Pansy's face, trying to figure out why it looked different. Then it hit. Literally. On all of them actually, across their face and shoulders were dark, purple and blue bruises.

"What happened?" I gasped, stepping over to Pansy and gingerly cupping her chin in my hand through the bars. She winced slightly but didn't move.

"Like our new necklaces?" she asked sarcastically. "We got them today…a generous present from several of the guards."

"They're binding collars," Fred said, sitting down as close to the aisle as he could without being out of his prison. "Since Hermione and Draco escaped as animagi they're all worried we'll try and do the same. So some stupid genius came up with the idea to somehow bind an animagi through magic; after all since it is just a form of magic it has to have a way to counter the effects."

"None of us are animagi but I guess they're not willing to take any chances. Our biggest problem with them though is they have a tracking device in them so even if we did manage to escape, where would we hide?" Lavender said softly, tugging at hers. "And they aren't exactly comfortable either."

"But the bruises?" I asked, removing my hand from Pansy; wishing I never had to.

"We didn't want them on us," Ginny said simply. "The guards didn't like that."

I forced a smile. "Well, I know this is a small comfort but I did bring some stuff for you guys. I couldn't take much since it'd be suspicious but I did get a few things."

"Anything helps, Blaise," Pansy said, a soft smile on her face.

Heartened, I unloaded my sack. In the end, each side got a blanket, Pansy's side took the mouthwash (and promised they'd slide it back and forth to Lavender's side), the apple and one of the rolls and Fred's side took the rest, although they said after they each had some pumpkin juice they'd hand it over to the other side.

"Thank you so much," Ginny murmured, rubbing the blanket against her cheek.

I smiled at everyone, my heart fluttering again with pride. It wasn't much but every little thing helped. "I'll be back later tonight to pick up the garbage," I said. "And remember to hide the blankets and mouthwash…if the guards see it we'll all be in trouble."

Neville, whom I'd never known to do this, smirked. "We're awfully good at hiding what we don't want to be seen," he said. "Don't worry, no one will find it."

I nodded. "Well then, I'll be back in about two hours."

With a last wave I went up the steps and headed straight for my room, that foreboding feeling entering my stomach once again. Something didn't feel right…but I didn't know what. And not knowing has a dangerous price.

xxx

"It's poisoned," Tonks announced, sitting back on her heels. "That's the only explanation. The odd puss…the way it refuses to heal…Draco's constant fever… whatever cut him had poison on it."

The group had stopped for a brief lunch in the middle of the forest and Tonks had taken the opportunity to check on Draco's injury once again.

"Poison?" Hermione repeated, lower lip trembling slightly. "Could Draco…die?"

"I'm not sure," the auror said, tucking the blanket back around the Slytherin. "If I knew what he'd been poisoned with I may be able to help but there are so many out there that could produce similar effects I don't even know where to start looking. And with some of the deadlier ones if the wrong antidote is applied it could cause death."

"What can we do?" Bill asked, leaning comfortably against a pine tree although his body was tense with this newest update.

"We need to find Dumbledore," Lupin said. "Right now we have nothing to treat Draco with save some of the muggle medicine Kagami gave us and that will only reduce his fever slightly…it won't get rid of it. I don't know what Dumbledore can do but right now that's our main objective and I have hope that he'll think of something."

"But at this rate it's going to take weeks to get to Hogwarts…and we still have to go even farther," Hermione said softly. "Can Draco even last that long?"

"If he wants to live, he will," Tonks said firmly though her voice shook slightly. "Speaking of which, let's get moving. The longer we sit here the longer it'll take to find Dumbledore."

Everyone staggered to their feet, all tired and exhausted despite the rest they'd received at Kagami's. Lupin gently picked up Draco, who didn't so much as stir, and with Tonks taking the lead they started off again.

Time was against them…but what exactly could they do?

xxx

For the third time that day I slipped through the door leading to the dungeons, again recoiling from the smell. It was nearly ten…over two hours later then I'd planned to be back. But when Marlin had dragged me off to lecture me on the do's and don'ts of the castle I hadn't exactly been able to just get up and leave.

"I'm back," I whispered, nearly tip-toeing down the stairs. One of the instructions Marlin had been very clear on was no one, except the Death Eaters given the responsibility of shutting off the lights in the dungeons at night, was to be permitted to see the prisoners past nine thirty at night.

As I came closer I could see that instead of the small welcoming I'd expected to have everyone looked grim.

"They took Pansy away," Hannah said before I could even open my mouth. "It wasn't Marlin or any of the Death Eaters we've seen before so he must have been one of the ones that came with you today, right?"

"Possibly not," I said although my heart was racing. "There are over fifty living here, I doubt you've seen them all before." More urgently I said, "Can you describe him? Do you know where they went?"

"He had black hair…," Ginny said. "And blue eyes…but he was wearing a cloak like everyone else so there's not really much else."

"Did he sound angry?" I asked, pacing back and forth and glancing at the staircase.

"More of…pleased," Neville said, his face puzzled. "Like he was happy."

"Was he carrying anything? Chains? Knife?"

They all glanced at each other before shaking their heads. "Just his wand," Fred said finally. "He ended up stunning her because she refused to go with him."

"I'll go look for her," I said. "Maybe whoever it was was giving her a second chance…like you said they did with Draco. Maybe they figure she'll go back to them." But even as I said it the words were lies, hopeful lies.

"Please find her," Lavender whispered. "Don't let anything happen to Pansy."

I just raced for the stairs and went up, knowing, somehow, that something had already happened. And I was to late to stop it.

My first stop was the torture chambers. Marlin had shown them to me earlier and I'm actually quite thankful he did.

There were two rooms; one that contained all of the equipment these sadists would ever want. And the room across the hall was more of a cavern, a huge open room hung with chains and other restraining devices. I was more than thankful to see Pansy was in neither. In fact, no one was.

Going back into the more lived in part of the castle, I searched every stairwell, every room, and everywhere one could possibly bring Pansy.

But it was as if she'd vanished out of thin air…

As I maneuvered around another oddly placed statue I stopped, my foot frozen midstep.

"_More of…pleased…"_

"_Like he was happy."_

"_Already wanting to have some fun…"_

"…_up to my room…" _

"_Catch Draco…"_

"_Catch Draco…"_

"_Catch Draco…"_

Time suddenly sped up again and I found myself sprawled out on the floor, my hear beat thundering loudly through the deserted corridor.

Had Draco been…?

Was Pansy…?

I jumped to my feet, shaking my head to chase away the questions. Right now, I had to find Pansy. After I knew she was safe I could find Draco.

Going hurriedly upstairs I could only think of one happy thought. At least Marlin didn't have her.

My bedroom was situated from the rest as I was the youngest and therefore didn't need anything special. My best bet was that someone higher up had taken Pansy…and they'd be at the other end of the hall.

As I started that way I tried to think of the best excuse I could manage to explain why I was in that wing instead of my own bed at midnight.

Father. Duh. I gently slapped my forehead as I ran. My father was considered one of the higher officials…we just hadn't come till now since he was overseeing other business. I know others are in front of him but that hardly matters. I know Voldemort didn't take her. Marlin didn't. Bellatrix obviously didn't. And I don't think Lucius leans that way… And Pettigrew? I'm pretty sure they all know what he looks like.

With that, I could walk the entire length of the hall and listen at every doorway until I came to my father's where I could then turn around and no one would be the wiser.

I hurried from one room to the next, taking a few moments to pause at each door. As I was nearing the end of the hall I heard soft, heart wrenching sobs.

Pansy.

My feet nearly flew as I went towards the sound, a second later muffled and gone.

But I had gone nearly the entire length of the corridor and anywhere past the door I was standing at led to the rooms of those I'd already ticked off my list.

This door though…

This door led to…

To my father's room.

Without even knocking I eased it open and slipped inside, shutting it silently behind me. It took me a moment to locate anything as the room was lit only be what seemed a single candle and I was fortunate the hallway had been dim so the extra light went unnoticed.

Stepping around the table by the door the bed came into view and with it…

They were both lying there, neither wearing nothing save the collar still on Pansy's neck. My father was on top of Pansy, his face wearing a smile while hers was tearstained as she cried silently, her hands pinned to her sides.

Anger coursed through me like a firey snake and I drew my wand. "Get away from her," I growled, my voice sounding menacing even to my own ears.

He looked up, surprised at the intrusion. "Haven't I taught you to knock?" he asked, not budging.

"I said move," I snarled, my nails digging into my flesh as I clenched my hands into fists.

He merely raised an eyebrow, infuriating just like Draco used to do. Except Draco would never do something like this. "I know you wanted her too, Blaise, but _you _didn't gain favor with our Lord. Now go along back to bed; I'd like to finish here."

I saw red. And it wasn't just from the stunning spell that shot out of my wand. I covered the space between my father and myself in seconds and shoved him off of Pansy, his frozen body falling to the floor. Still snarling, I knelt down and muttered, "_Oblivate_."

His eyes gently closed and I smiled grimly. He would only remember events up until I barged into the room and when he woke up in the morning he would most likely think he'd brought Pansy back.

Leaving him on the floor I rushed back to the bed and pulled the comforter up from the bottom of it and draped it over Pansy, who had curled up into a ball and was still crying softly.

Climbing up next to her, I pulled Pansy to me, wrapping the blanket more securely around her shuddering frame. "It's all right," I whispered, startled to feel a tear sliding down my own cheek.

She only cried harder, grabbing hold of my robes and refusing to let go.

I rocked her gently back and forth, just hugging her close to me. After a while, her sobs subsided until she just sniffled occasionally.

"Now I know," she whispered, her voice shaky., "how Draco felt… so helpless… so alone…"

"I wish you'd never had to," I said softly, my own voice cracking. "I'm so sorry, Pansy… I couldn't find you. I went looking all over the castle but I never thought… I never… I'm sorry," I choked out, pulling her even closer.

She managed a small smile. "This isn't your fault, Blaise. You did all you could."

"If I'd thought about it I would have known sooner," I muttered, my voice muffled as I spoke into her hair. "I was so scared that I forgot to think."

After a few more minutes of silence I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. "We should probably get out of here," I said softly. "I can take you back to my rooms for the night and bring you back to the dungeons after the morning guard has come. Would that be all right?"

Pansy just nodded and I scrambled off the bed and pulled her, blanket and all, into my arms. Fumbling with my wand, I managed to levitate Father into the air and back onto the bed and conjured another blanket to cast across him.

I silently pulled the door open and slipped out of Father's room, going as fast as I could down the hall without making any noise.

I'm not sure how but luck was on my side for once and I made it all the way to my chamber without anyone looking outside their doors to wonder what I was doing.

Although my room lacked the grandeur of my Father's it was still better then anything the prisoners could ask for. A large, canopy bed sat in one corner with a large dresser stock full of my robes and clothes that the closet couldn't accommodate. A small table with two chairs was in another corner and a door next to that led into my private bathroom.

I gently set Pansy down on my bed, smoothing her hair away from her face. "How about this?" I asked softly. "Why don't you go take a shower? Here's my wand," I offered, her eyes growing wide. "I'm sure my father… I'm sure he hurt you and I don't want anything to get infected. You do know some basic healing spells, right?"

She nodded, tears springing again to her eyes. "I'll go find you some clothes of mine," I continued, "and I'm sure Bellatrix has some things I could probably get from her. When I get back and you're out of the shower I have some cream to put on your bruises…I'm sure it'll help heal them faster since I don't remember their being a charm for that, do you?" Pansy shook her head.

"I have shampoo and stuff in the shower but I'm afraid none of it's really what you'd use," I rambled, just trying to fill the space. "My robe's on the back of the door so you can wear that until I get back. Just stay here and don't answer the door…I'll have a key so I can get in. Make sure you lock it behind me, will you?"

She gave a slight nod, wiping a hand across her eyes. "Good," I smiled, giving her hand a small squeeze. "I'll be back in a little bit."

I again found myself heading down the hall. I first stopped in Father's room to pick up the scraps of whatever Pansy had been wearing. Father hadn't wasted any time tearing through the very thin cloth and it was beyond repair.

Putting them in a pile and obliterating the entire thing I continued to Lestrange's quarters. I paused and knocked softly, hoping she was a light sleeper and would answer the door. I would rather have just snuck in but she'd kill me before I even had a chance to explain.

A few seconds later the door soundlessly opened and she peered out excitedly, obviously hoping it was Voldemort. When she saw me her face was replaced with a frown.

"And what does the little brat want?" she asked, dark eyes narrowed. "You're disturbing my sleep with your pointless knocking."

"I'm actually here at a request from my father," I said, keeping my eyes lowered to the floor. "He had one of the prisoners for enjoyment tonight and I accidentally walked in on them."

She pulled me inside her rooms by the wrist and shut the door, her face full of cruel mirth. "I'm sure Nirav was happy about that," she cackled. "Tell me, what did he do?"

"He told me off for interrupting his fun," I said, forcing a blush to rise up in my cheeks. "And then he requested that I come to you and get her some clothing…you know, the girl stuff. He ripped hers up completely."

"And he wants _me _to give my things to a prisoner?" she asked, looking at me dubiously. "I think not."

"Well, I would assume our Lord doesn't want her to go back to the dungeons with nothing," I said. "She still is a pureblood after all."

That sparked her interest. "The Weasley bitch?" she asked, gesturing for me to take a seat on one of her couches.

"No, Parkinson," I replied smoothly. "And she is rather pretty… I'd hate to see her die because she went back down to that filthy dungeon without anything."

"Oh, all right," she sighed. "But I'm not giving her any of my robes or clothing…it's to good for a traitor like her."

"That's fine," I said. "Father instructed me to give her something old of mine. I have plenty of things I'd be happy to be rid of."

Bellatrix went to one of her many chests on the opposite wall and came back to me carrying a small bag. "Here," she said, thrusting it at me. "Your father is quite lucky Parkinson and I are roughly the same size, isn't he?"

"He is," I agreed, realizing for the first time my error in assuming Pansy would fit Bellatrix's size. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Lestrange," I said with a small bow.

"Tell your father it's only because he sent you…I'd hate to disappoint such a handsome young man so." Her smile was dangerous…a mix of power and lust.

"I'll be sure to mention it," I said, turning towards the door. "Good night, Mrs. Lestrange."

"It's just Bellatrix," she said coyly.

I threw her what I hoped was a charming smile all the while itching to run as fast as I could back to the safety of my own room. "Then good night, Bellatrix."

As soon as she'd closed the door I went to Father's room and slipped quickly inside so that should she be listening for the sound of the door she would get it. After lingering only a minute I went back out, bag under my robe, and hurried back to my own room and unlocked the door.

Pansy was sitting in one of the chairs by the door, watching it nervously as I entered and then visibly relaxing. Her hair was wrapped in a large, fluffy white towel and my bathrobe hung down to near her ankles.

Now that she was bathed in the light I saw for the first time the inflictions my father had inflicted upon her. Her lips were swollen and bruised and a handprint that was slowly turning purple took up her entire right cheek. The rest of her was concealed by the heavy robe.

"Do you feel better?" I asked anxiously. Now that the initial danger was past I was unsure how to approach the subject. I would rather steer completely around it so as not to upset her but I knew it would come back before the night was over.

"Yes," she said softly…meekly. So unlike the Pansy I knew. "It's been over three months since I've had a shower," she said , a slow grin spreading across her face, "and it sure felt bloody good."

I returned the grin, feeling the tightness in my heart release slightly. "Well, I have some stuff for you here," I said, holding out the bag. "Bellatrix wasn't happy but I don't think she minded as much when I said you were a Pureblood."

"Crazy woman," Pansy snorted though the tears were threatening to fall from her eyes again. "They're all crazy. That's why your father picked me… since I was a Pureblood. He didn't want to defile himself on anyone else. And obviously since he knew me he… he…"

I went over and gingerly wrapped my arms around her, not too tight but not loose enough she'd think I didn't want to touch her. "Why don't we talk after you get dressed?" I asked gently. "If you want to, that is."

"I'd like that," she whispered.

I headed over to my dresser and pulled out a pair of track pants that were slightly worn (everyone would be to suspicious if she was wearing something brand new) and a dark green tee shirt. Also out came a matching black warm-up jacket and a pair of super thick, fuzzy socks that I was sure could stand the dungeon floor. Hurrying over to my closet while Pansy watched the growing pile of clothes I pulled down a navy sweatshirt and added it.

"Wear all of this back tomorrow," I said, gesturing at the pile. "The sweatshirt is for Weasley…I noticed he didn't have a shirt and he'll catch cold easily like that."

Going back to another set of drawers, I pulled out a pair of plaid flannel pants and one of my large tee shirts I liked to wear while sleeping. "You're welcome to these though tonight. I'm sure they'll be more comfortable. Go ahead and change in the bathroom…when you get out I'll put on the cream."

"Have a spare toothbrush?" she asked, a smile stretching across her face.

"Remember how to conjure one?" I asked. "You still have my wand."

She shook her head sadly. "I can't really remember everything we learned…it's all so hazy. Can you?" she questioned, handing me back my wand.

I shook my head as well. "Nope. Go ahead and use mine, I'll just take one of my fath- one of someone else's later…"

A few minutes later Pansy came out of the bathroom, dressed comfortably in the clothes I'd assigned. I myself was in my own large shirt and warm pants.

I gestured she take a seat on the bed and I opened the jar of cream I'd stored in my trunk. Carefully, I smeared my fingers in it and rubbed it as gently as possible on her cheek. "Anywhere else?" I asked softly.

"All over my arms…and I think my back. He shoved me against the wall a few times."

Her arms were a sight to behold. In pinning her down, my father had bruised almost every inch of her skin. Her back, had two large, rather splotchy shaped bruises that received the same treatment.

"It'll numb the pain for a bit and cause some of the swelling to go down," I said, screwing the cap back on and setting it on the nightstand. "Can I come up?" I asked, still not sure of how calmly she'd respond with me so close. Especially on a bed.

But she just nodded and hardly even tensed as I eased myself next to her. Again, I was quite thankful my bed was easily big enough for two people.

Reaching under one of the pillows I pulled out a comb. I always brushed my hair right when I woke up and for some reason wouldn't remember if the comb was on the counter in the bathroom.

"Want to comb your hair?" I asked, looking at Pansy's long black hair. "I'm sure you don't want to sleep with all those knots."

"Could you?" she asked softly. I blinked, startled by the question. "Only if you want too," she added quickly, her cheeks coloring. "It's just…my mother always used to brush my hair and it's just…comforting I guess when someone else does it. Sometimes it feels like she's here, with me."

"I'd love too," I said, feeling a blush rise up in my cheeks. "But you need to turn around so I can get to your head."

Pansy obediently did so and I began to run through her tresses, her wincing every time I hit a particular difficult knot. We sat in a comfortable silence as I did battle with her hair…this almost made me pity Hermione who had a nest so thick I wonder if she even got a brush through it let alone a comb.

"Done," I announced a little while later. "Ready to go to bed? You're probably exhausted." It was pretty late…nearly one thirty.

Pansy yawned. "I think I might be," she admitted.

I slipped off the bed. "I'll take the floor," I said, already conjuring a blanket. "You deserve to sleep in the bed."

"Blaise? Could you…could you stay with me up here? And hold me…like earlier?" she was blushing and looking anywhere but at me when her request came.

"If you want me to," I replied, feeling my heart leap. I wasn't sure what I felt for Pansy yet. She wasn't like a sister to me anymore and I think she was more of a friend. But tonight would not be a good time to confess what I thought I might feel. Not after what she'd just been through.

"I would."

And so, I found myself under the covers, my arms wrapped gently around Pansy and hugging her to my body once more. "Why don't we talk in the morning?" I whispered. "You really do need to get some rest."

She nodded, her hair tickling my face. "All right."

"And I'll even get us breakfast," I said, smiling at the back of her head. Reaching to my nightstand, I again grabbed my wand and cast out the lights in the room, save for a single candle on the table.

I placed a kiss on top of Pansy's head and pulled her even closer. A few minutes later, her breath evened out and I could tell she'd fallen asleep. But every few minutes, I realized as I lie awake, her breathing would hitch and then speed up and she'd struggle slightly in my arms.

"It's all right," I whispered, stroking her hair to calm her as much as to calm myself. "You're safe now…you're with me and I won't let them hurt you again."

And then I started to cry, large droplets dripping down my cheeks. How could I promise her she was safe? Promise no more suffering? Promise love?

I could only promise suffering.

Because I can protect no one.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

And it's BOWs one year anniversary since I last updated! -throws confetti-

I'M SORRY! I really never meant to take this long to update. So many things just got in the way. But I found inspiration in my dreams again and this chappie was born.

Be prepared for some angst over at the castle. After all, our other group is just walking through a forest and right now they aren't too interesting. As soon as they find Hogwarts though things'll pick up.

Although I hope you'll take this super long chappie as my peace offering. xD

Again, I'm terribly sorry to everyone for the really long wait. I do hope someone is still reading this. Reviews are always appreciated; we're almost at 400:D

See you all at the next chapter!


	14. Nothing Can Fly with Broken Wings

**Disclaimer: I hope I didn't give anyone a heart attack that I actually updated this fanfic. Wait, updating fanfics? If I were the real author of HP I wouldn't need to write fanfics. So I can't possibly ****own HP!**

**This chapter is a dedication to a really good friend of mine, Theresa Cartossa. She died May 21st ****after committing suicide. May you rest in peace, Theresa and find happiness in heaven that you weren't able to find here. God bless. **

**Black is Our World**

**Nothing Can Fly with Broken Wings**

_xxxf_

_xxx_

_I think that nothing can fly with this broken wing.  
There's so much to hold onto now.  
Nothing can fly with this broken wing,  
so here's a gift, in this feather._

_You've gone too far. I'm standing alone.  
Let's sort this out together.  
You're right, without a fight.  
It might be worth it to you, but I can't take this anymore._

_--Burning Years; Story of the Year_

_xxx_

_xxx_

I felt myself slowly waking up, soft sunlight filtering against my face and covering me in a second warm blanket. I snuggled my face further into the pillow, relishing in the feel of the material against my skin.

Wait… what was going on? Sun? In the dungeons? My breath caught in my throat as the feeling of an arm or possibly a leg draped over my stomach came to my attention.

And then that cheery warmth was gone to be replaced with dread and fear. I could feel my insides coil as memories of just hours ago swam to the surface.

The stench of his hot breath against my neck. His bruising hold as he held me down. His body poised on top of my own. The taste of blood. And pain… so much pain.

I felt my breath catch in my throat and I pushed myself away from the arm, tumbling off the bed in the process. Before I could even stand to run for the door a head popped over the side of the bed.

"Pansy?"

I shrieked and backed away, seeing the blue eyes and black hair only reinforced what had happened. "S-stay away!" I cried, flinching as he slipped off the bed. He was going to…going to… Not again… I don't want to go through it again…

To my surprise I was wrapped in a fierce hug, and felt someone bury their face in my hair. Soft, mumbled words were whispered against me, although I only caught a few.

I slowly felt myself relax as no intention was made to… harm me. It was a second later that I could remember what had happened after _it. _Blaise. Blaise had come and saved me. He had held and comforted me. This person was Blaise.

"Blaise?" I whispered, my voice sounding scratchy and hoarse. I pulled my face out of his shirt, surprised to see his eyes red-rimmed and filled with tears staring down at me.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured, squeezing me even tighter. "It's all my fault… if I'd figured it out sooner…"

"It's not your fault," I said softly, knowing that Blaise had done all he could have in the situation. "I told you that last night," I gently reprimanded.

"Should I dye my hair?"

I blinked at the odd question, miffed to find him so serious about it. "…Why?"

"When you saw me," he whispered, "you thought I was my father, didn't you?" More bitterly he said, "I just have to look like him, the bastard."

"Don't. This morning I did think that… but you're nothing like him, Blaise. I don't want you to change."

"But-"

I gave a sad smile. "I'm sure I'll be fine after… after a while. I just need some time." I honestly wasn't sure if I'd ever be the same. But I loved Blaise for who he was and I didn't want him to change anything. Because then he wouldn't be Blaise.

His gaze was questioning and doubtful but he didn't press the matter, for which I was thankful. I had said my piece and for now I was all right. If I felt the need to break down later I knew Blaise would be there but… I had to put this behind me, like Draco had done. He'd been so… strong. And I would try to be the same.

"All right then," he said, rising to his feet and pulling me up along with him. "If you want you can take another shower and I'll get us some breakfast. After that you need to go…" he trailed off, not even wanting to consider the possibility of bringing me back to the dungeons.

I forced a smile, not liking the idea any more but knowing there was nothing we could do about it. "A shower sounds nice. So does a nice breakfast; could you possibly get pancakes and French toast?" I grinned. "And some strawberries?"

He laughed and nodded. "I'll see what the house elves can bring up."

With a grateful smile I slipped into the bathroom after picking up the pile of clothes minus the jacket and sweatshirt Blaise had left out the night before.

It was so strange to be in an actual bathroom again. I don't understand how I ever took running water for granted. I set the clothes down gently on the toilet seat and started the tap for the shower and waited patiently for the water to heat up.

Once a cloud of steam had started to rise I deemed the water quite the right temperature and after stripping off my clothes I hopped in, examining Blaise's choices of shampoos. Last night I hadn't really been paying attention; I'd just grabbed the first bottle that I touched. This time I may as well find a scent I liked since it'd be comforting back in the dungeon.

It was as Blaise had said though; he didn't have much. I finally opted on an evergreen scented one. A guy smell definitely, but I could pretend I was out by the forest at Hogwarts and sitting near the pine trees. As I lathered my hair I relaxed in the continuous stream of hot water hitting my back and washing away all the pain.

But just as suddenly as my tension faded it came back with full vengeance. It hadn't really occurred until this second. But how could I not have thought of it earlier? What if I was? What would happen to me?

I shut off the water as soon as I'd rinsed my hair and threw on the clothes, not really even stopping to dry myself thoroughly. I opened the door with a bang and Blaise looked up with a start from pouring a glass of juice.

"Pansy, what-?"

"Could I be pregnant?" I interrupted, voice bordering on the edge of hysteria. "I can't be, right? Right?"

Blaise's mouth formed an 'o' with surprise as realization dawned on his face to be replace with a frown. "Do you know if he used any… protection?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. I can't be pregnant, Blaise! I just… I…"

For the second time that morning I felt myself wrapped in a tight hug. "It'll be okay," he whispered. "It'd be terrible luck if you were but the chances aren't that great."

"With my luck I'm sure I will be," I sniffled, wiping a hand across my face.

"Here's what we'll do," he said, guiding me over to the table. "First we're going to eat breakfast and pack you up some food for the others. After that I'm going to come back up here and go through some books and look up a potion so you can find out if you're pregnant and to prevent anyone else from even having the chance to."

"Thanks, Blaise," I said quietly, staring down at the floor.

"We can only keep thinking positively," he said softly. "Right now this situation is out of our hands. If I could I'd get you out of here right now. I'd get everyone out. But where would we go?"

I shook my head; I didn't have an answer. I honestly still wonder how Draco and Hermione managed to escape and find a place to go when the Death Eaters patrolled everywhere. They were at least both animagi and only two. There were seven of us here, including Blaise, and none of us could transform. Plus with the collars we wouldn't get far.

Breakfast passed quickly and in relative silence as I ate as much as I could since I knew I wouldn't be getting this much later. Afterwards, I packed a bag of food that was left, while Blaise researched the potion. He gave me his wand as well and told me to conjure anything we would need down in the dungeons. Using a large book Blaise had on nearly all conjuration spells I managed to get a few items, the rush of magic flowing through my arm making me nearly giddy.

In the end I conjured a pair of socks for everyone, another bottle of mouthwash, some stuff for us girls that we hadn't had in way too long, a hairbrush and four hair ties (they were a lot harder than I thought to conjure), a bottle of disinfectant, a few rolls of toilet paper, and a box of band-aids, which I figured we could use on any injuries not in plain sight.

"You have quite the load there," Blaise said with a smile, coming over and sitting down next to me by the pile. "I can shrink it all when we carry it down so no one will notice." Gently, he handed me a corked vial full of deep purple potion. "Drink that. It'll make sure you can't get pregnant for at least three months. I have another one for Ginny, Hannah, and Lavender too."

"How'd you brew it so fast?" I asked, gulping it down, pleased to find it tasted just like the ones Madam Pomfrey brewed- blackberries and cream.

"I always have Potions ingredients on hand," he said with a shrug. "It didn't require time like all the others; just mix and drink. As for the other one… it'll be ready in a few days. I'll bring it down then." He glanced at the clock on the far wall, blue eyes narrowing at the time the hands read. "It's nearly nine and if I don't get you back soon we're both going to be in trouble," he said, voice troubled.

"I understand," I said softly, packing all of my conjured items into a sack and handing Blaise back his wand. "Well… I'm ready when you are."

Blaise muttered a few choice words and the sack shrank (with the sweater and food in it now) to pocket-size. "I'm going to need to bind your hands… they'd be really suspicious if I was letting you walk free. Although we hopefully won't meet anyone on our way." The bonds he gave me were gentle and not tight at all. Nothing like the coarse rope the guards loved to use.

After Blaise made a quick check to see if the hallway was clear, he led me out, wand aimed at my back, and we hurried down the hall. The walk was too quick and yet too slow all in one. I didn't want to leave Blaise's room… it was so comfortable and so nice. And safe. But I wanted to get back to the dungeons so Blaise wouldn't get in trouble if he was seen escorting me. Luck finally seemed to be with me, though, and we made it back to the cells without running into anyone.

Everyone was still sleeping, most likely having tired themselves out waiting for me, so when Blaise unlocked my cell everyone jolted awake at the creaky gate.

"Pansy!" Ginny cried, jumping up and wrapping her arms around me, quickly letting go as she saw me grimace. "What's wrong?" she whispered, taking in my bruising face for the first time.

I chose not to answer and instead took the enlarged sack from Blaise. "I brought you a shirt, Fred," I said, pulling it out and handing it to Blaise to transfer over. "And everyone has a pair of socks…and I brought a hairbrush and some hair ties for us…"

"Pansy?" Hannah murmured, clasping my hands between hers and forcing me to stop handing things out.

My heart was racing and I felt very clammy, despite the frigid temperature of the dungeons. What was I supposed to say? Tell the truth? Make it not seem so bad? I had to be strong… Draco was strong, he got through this. I had to too.

Taking a deep breath, I made myself look up and meet everyone's eyes, Blaise locking gazes with me and giving a slight nod. There was no need to sugar coat it. It happened and that's how I would tell it. "I…," I said softly, looking down at my hands now. "…was raped."

xxx

"Do you see that?"

Hermione's question caught everyone off guard and they all turned to look at the Gryffindor who was at the end of the line.

"See what?" Lupin asked, still holding Draco.

"I thought I saw…" Hermione trailed off, peering into the dense forest. "Well, I guess it was my imag- Look! There it is again! A horse!"

"There shouldn't be any horses in a forest," Bill muttered, although as he looked in the direction Hermione was pointing, his eyes widened. Wandering aimlessly through the trees was a dark gelding, coat covered in a sweaty lather and… blood.

Hermione took a careful step in the direction of the animal, which had paused upon seeing humans, but was sniffing the air warily and took a few steps back as Lupin also moved forward.

"Stop, Remus," Tonks called. Lupin sighed and halted, knowing that the horse most likely smelled the wolf radiating off of him.

"There, there," Hermione said softly, cautiously approaching the frightened horse. "We're not going to hurt you." The horse snorted, but remained still, ears flat back against his head and the whites of his eyes showing. A loose rope halter was over his head, so he obviously belonged to someone.

Hermione finally got a hand up to the horse's neck and patted it gently, whispering soft and calming words. Gradually, the animal seemed to relax, and Hermione turned to face her party, hand still stroking the matted fur. "He must live around here," she said. "I vote we try to have him lead us to his home and see if there aren't people there…who might need help," she added softly, eyes straying to the blood flanking his withers.

"Agreed," Tonks said. "Hermione, try leading him gently and see if he'll take off for any direction. We'll follow behind."

The horse seemed to be more at ease now and after Hermione gave a slight tug on his lead rope he was off, ears pricked forward and seeming to hurry towards a particular destination. Still miffed with a horse being in the forest, the group followed.

When the horse finally came to a halt it was all Hermione could do not to go back in the opposite direction. Several people had obviously labored very hard to clear the area of trees and to build a small farm in the middle of the forest, a sizeable field taking up most of the area.

The field was, however, smoking and torn up. The barn off to the side had one door completely torn off and scorch marks covering the rest of it. Hay was strewn about the ground as well as considerable amount of broken timber. The house next to the barn had been completely burnt to the ground, a few tendrils of smoke rising from the wreckage.

It was the glowing green skull floating over the house though that sparked the most attention. That and the body lying by what used to be the front steps.

"Oh my God," Hermione whispered, hand reaching up to cover her mouth in horror, the horse next to her trembling as well. Her feet kicked in a moment later, and she was racing across the field towards the figure, praying that the person was still alive.

As she neared it became clear the person was dead. She looked to be in her forties, although with all the gashes over her face it was difficult to tell. Blood soaked into her dress, a tattered and stained apron lying a few feet from her.

Hermione looked over her shoulder as footsteps approached and came face to face with Tonks. "We need to leave here," the auror said softly. "This attack was within a few hours from now. The Death Eaters could come back at any minute."

Bill joined the two a moment later, eyes full of anguish. "A young boy and an older man are dead in the barn," he said bitterly. "Stabbed to death it looks like it."

Biting back a sob, Hermione said, "We have to bury them! We can't just leave them like this!"

Tonks glanced nervously up at the mark and then back at Hermione's face, lower lip quivering and eyes filling with tears. "All right," she said. "But we're going to have to be quick. If we get caught here as well…"

The four of them (Remus setting Draco off gently to the side) found shovels in the barn and began to dig a grave that would be deep enough that it would discourage any animals from trying to dig them up.

"We don't even know their names," Hermione said softly as she carved a cross into a piece of stone for each of them. "Or even why the Death Eaters killed them."

"They were most likely too close to one of the camps," Lupin said, wiping the sheen on sweat on his brow. "It's amazing that they weren't discovered until now though."

"I think this is deep enough," Bill said, climbing out of the hole they'd made, shaking his head to move the shoulder length red locks out of his eyes.

They had wrapped the bodies in burlap sacks and then gently placed all three in the grave; the father on the far left, mother in the middle and the son on the far right. Hermione had nearly keeled over when she'd first seen the boy. He looked so much like Harry…same defiant expression mixed with pain, jet black hair, lanky frame. It had been like seeing him dead all over again.

All four shoveled the dirt onto the bodies, and Tonks placed the short but heartfelt memoir she'd written on a stone in the middle of the mound while Hermione placed the grave markings.

"Let their souls rest in peace," Remus said softly, hands clasped in front of him. Everyone said a soft 'amen' and Tonks placed several pine branches from the forest over the dirt. After a moment's pause he said, "Let's get going."

"Can we take the horse?" Hermione asked, glancing at the animal that had remained on the field, eyes rolled back in fear from the stench of smoke and blood.

"It would be an asset," Tonks said. "He could carry Draco or one of us if we needed rest. But we don't have food for him to eat… and the forest doesn't really have much grass to offer for him."

"There are still a few smaller bundles of hay intact," Bill said. "We could take a few of those and have the horse carry them."

"We shouldn't leave him here by himself," Hermione said. "If the Death Eaters come back they'll kill him."

Tonks was just about to respond when a shrill whinny split the air. Turning, they saw another horse emerging from the woods bordering the field, a young mare. Her dappled grey coat was covered as well in sweat and her halter was trailing on the ground.

"I figured there were more horses," Lupin said, shaking his head. "The barn holds three and all of the stalls looked lived in. Although I would have thought the Death Eaters would have taken them."

Hermione watched as the two nuzzled each other in greeting and then welcomed the third missing horse to their group, the new brown mare sporting a half buckled saddle and a bloody gash on her right flank. "It looks like they were trying to get away," she said, pointing out the saddle.

"Three horses," Tonks said gleefully. "That one needs some quick medical attention, but now we have transportation! Hurry, hurry! I'll go treat the horse. Bill and Remus, you two gather the hay and anything else you can find…saddles would be great. Hermione, round up the other two horses."

The tasks were completed rather quickly and soon they all stood facing the three horses, all saddled and bridled with Tonks' aid. "Now," the auror said, "how many of you know how to ride a horse?"

"I can ride," Hermione said. "I learned when I was a kid."

Lupin shook his head. "Not me. I don't think they'd want me on them anyway."

"They're going to have to let you on," Tonks said firmly. "Bill, can you ride?"

Sheepishly, Bill shook his head. "I tried before, but I've never been able to stay on."

Tonks pursed her lips. "I think I'll take one of the horses and keep Draco with me. Hermione, you're going to have to share with either Bill or Remus, but neither of them know how to ride so I can't let one of them go on their own."

"It'd probably be safer if Remus rode with me," Hermione said. "Since the horses are already spooked around him, if he were to try and ride on his own it would most likely turn into a disaster."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence," the werewolf said wryly, but he looked relieved at not having to manage on his own. Bill looked less than thrilled.

"When I fall off and get trampled I'll know who to blame," he said, mock-glaring at Hermione. He very reluctantly allowed Tonks to help him into the saddle and then he almost fell off when his horse took a nervous step forward.

Hermione easily seated herself, and Remus clambered on very ungracefully behind, Hermione's tight hold on the reins the only thing keeping the horse from rearing at the nearness of the wolf scent. Tonks climbed aboard her horse with natural ease after draping Draco across. As soon as she was on, she righted the Slytherin so he was slumping into her.

"Let's go," she said, clucking gently moving forward. She and Hermione were both almost to the edge of the field when they realized Bill wasn't following. The redhead was glaring at the animal beneath him and flicking the reins to get it moving, although the horse continued to stand stock-still.

Laughing, Hermione quickly made her way over and tied one of the ropes they'd found to the saddle pommel of both saddles and then started again, Bill's horse now obediently following. They all rode in silence for a few minutes, eager to get away from the farm that reeked of death and away from any possible lurking Death Eaters.

"I think we need to name them," Hermione said after a short while, gesturing at the horses. "We can't just refer to them as horses. Anyone have suggestions?"

"How about 'Stubborn Ass'?" Bill grumbled, glaring down at the dappled grey. "I think it's fitting."

"It'd only make sense if it was a donkey," Hermione argued. "I was thinking 'Pepper'. You know, because she's kind of speckled like pepper. I was going to name mine 'Honey' since she's awfully sweet and her color matches."

"I like Stubborn Ass," Bill argued.

"To make things light and happy sounding, I'm going to agree with Hermione on Pepper," Tonks called from the front. "And since we're doing food, I'm going to call this fellow here Chocolate. Kind of makes me hungry though."

"I'd love some chocolate," Hermione sighed, petting Honey's neck. "Draco could use some too, it might actually help."

And with the mention of Draco everything went back into a state of somberness. There really wasn't much to be happy about. Positives: They were all together, they were all still alive, they had horses, enough rations to last another few days, and a plan (however foolish it might seem). The negatives far outnumbered the good though. Draco was injured and could die at any moment, their plan was based on a prophecy no one sure was even right, they couldn't find Dumbledore, the whole world was taken over, they'd just buried several innocent people, their friends were still imprisoned, and they were all exhausted.

"We're going to have to set up camp soon," Lupin said, glancing up at the sky beneath the trees. Already the forest floor was getting hard to see and the horses were stumbling over roots and other obstacles.

"Well, we're about a five days ride from Hogwarts," Tonks said. "We're making really good time with the horses. So I vote we stop now and all take a rest; we need it." Everyone was in agreement and after riding a few more minutes in hopes of finding a slightly less bumpy area to rest (sadly, none were to be found), they settled down beneath three large pines, tying the horses to one of the lower branches and placing ample amounts of hay in front of them (Bill had ridden with the hay and was now complaining of being itchy).

They didn't dare start a fire, so they all huddled together as the temperature dropped, Draco in the middle of their little circle, his head resting comfortably in Tonks' lap. Hermione was nodding off, already leaning against Bill's shoulder. They'd pulled out the blankets and they all had one, with Hermione and Bill sharing.

"What's for dinner?" the redhead asked, stifling a yawn and the urge to lean back against the pine tree lest he disturb Hermione.

"Bread," Lupin said, pulling out several chopped hunks from his knapsack. "And a few oranges we can all split."

Silence fell over the group as they ate and Tonks went over Draco's condition, her frown not fading after her diagnostic. No one bothered to ask how he was. They knew. They knew all too well.

xxx

Pansy seemed almost relieved after she'd finished telling the group what had happened. And just as friends should, they had held her and comforted her and swore acts of vengeance against my father. All of which I would gladly take part in.

It was hard going up to breakfast and having to see him, the pleased smile on his face and the smirk he angled in my direction. I wanted to take it off. Taking off his entire head might actually be better. Then he couldn't do anything ever again.

I wasn't really sure of what I'd been expecting when I'd had to come to the stronghold, but it certainly wasn't studies. Marlin took me right after breakfast and set me to learning about different potions, all with the cruel intent to either torture or kill. When I dared to venture to ask of their purpose, his normally placid face had curled with an insane malice. His answer? To be used on the unruly prisoners at the camps.

I didn't ask any questions after that.

Two days passed and I made my daily trip to the dungeons, bringing some more food and checking up to see how they were all doing and to check on Pansy's condition. She, very fortunately, was not pregnant and her face had melted into one of the largest smiles I'd ever seen on her face. None were worse for the wear, but they were becoming antsy. One thing was bothering them, something they had never thought of until Fred Weasley voiced it during one of our little huddles.

Why were they still alive? Why were they here and not at a labor camp?

It struck me as odd too. I could understand keeping Potter here and his best mates. I could even understand why they would want Draco. But the rest of them? Why?

Probing didn't take long and I was disgusted by the result. They originally had been kept since there wasn't enough room at the camps and they would be moved later. Then it changed into the idea that they could use the girls for their own needs and even the boys if there were people like Lucius about. It still didn't justify why they were all still here.

They obviously weren't going to be used as sacrifices for any dark spell since they'd already killed tried to kill off three of their number. And two really had died. Unless they only needed a certain amount of sacrifices and they were keeping a number to choose from. So I went researching into Dark spells that might require something like that.

And what I found wasn't good. There were three spells that required a total of four humans to sacrifice; two males and two females. Only one would help the Death Eaters at all.

If they sacrificed the four that were strongest in spirit and body in the _Desoynda Ritual _an unspeakable power would emerge. One chosen individual, most likely Voldemort, would be granted this power… the power that rivaled a God's. Yes, a Death Eater could already take away life with an incantation. But to be able to wipe out entire groups of people, nearly a thousand in number each, with a simple flick of the wand? It had never been done before.

Now it could. And the results would be horrifying. Voldemort would be able to wipe out every living person within three miles of himself so long as the total was one thousand or below. He wouldn't have to go looking for hidden wizards and witches; he'd just kill them based on knowing of their area.

If the chosen four were sacrificed according to the rituals demands, that power would belong to Voldemort. And they were trying to find four individuals who matched the requirements necessary.

For all of them, they needed to have a strong spirit; resistant and unwavering in resolve. They all need to have magic flowing in them. They all needed to be at least seventeen.

Then it started to differ. Both females needed to be at least a halfblood or more. That ruled out Lavender and Hermione, who wasn't even here. Their birthdays also needed to fall in July or August. And the three candidates who matched the bloodlines fit that; Ginny (born August eleventh), Pansy (born August twenty-fourth) and Hannah (born July twenty-seventh). And, strangely enough, the girls needed to have had an interaction with the Dark Arts at one point or another. And that would be them all, having at least been under the Cruciatus once during their stay, and either being possessed by Voldemort (Ginny) or learning and practicing Dark Magic (Pansy).

Both males needed to be pureblood. Neville and Fred both were. They both also needed to be able to born between the months of April and June. Which posed a problem. Weasley fit that, being born April first. But Neville… he was born at the end of July. He didn't fit the requirement. Ron's birthday wasn't in the timeline needed either, so they had destroyed one of their useless sources. I didn't know of anyone else who would fall into that category that they'd housed here. George was Fred's twin and obviously had the same birthday. Potter's was in July so he couldn't possibly be it. So who…

And then it hit me like I'd been run over by a Hippogriff. Draco. June sixth. That's why the Death Eaters were so eager to find him and Hermione. Not because they feared they would find help. But because they needed him for their plan.

Everyone was in danger. Fred at least had until they found Draco. But all the rest… only two of the three girls fitting the requirements would be spared. And Lavender and Neville would be killed no matter what.

I didn't have anytime to waste. They could decide to get rid of the spares at any given moment… and I would not allow that to happen.

It was nearing eleven, and I was supposed to be in my room, but there was no time. It was going to be now or never to escape. There was one problem though. Those bloody collars with the tracking devices. But I just had to hope that I would be able to magic them off as soon as we got away before the Death Eaters even realized they had left.

I packed a bag of supplies and several texts that might come in handy, and I took off for the dungeons after making sure the coast was clear. I wished I had an invisibility cloak as I snuck down the hall, thankful that my hair was at least black and my clothing matched it.

When I opened the door and descended, my feet noisy on the steps, everyone looked up at me in surprise, not having gone to bed yet, but obviously about to.

"Blaise, what are you-?" Pansy started to ask, but I held up a hand for silence, flicking my wand at the lock on the gate, frowning as it didn't open with a simple locking charm.

"We're all leaving… now," I said, quickly digging out one of my books and flipping through it for other lock charms. "They're going to kill all of you," I said. "There's this sacrifice ritual they're going to do. They only need four of you and they're going to kill the rest. They need Draco though, so at least three of you are safe until they bring him, but we don't have time to bide anymore. We need to leave now."

Finally locating the charm, I readied my wand and again pointed it at the lock, Pansy's eyes meeting mine. "Don't worry," I said softly, "I'm going to get everyone out of here."

"Are you so certain?"

The cold drawl made me freeze and I whirled around, wand pointed at where the voice had emitted from. But no one was there. One second I was looking at the now terrified faces, and the next I was being lifted into the air, choking ,cold hands wrapped around my neck.

I fought a losing battle for air, my own hands trying desperately to pry off the foreign pair, my wand dropping to the floor with a clatter. My feet left the ground completely, and I arched my head back, trying to catch a glimpse of my attacker.

There was still nothing there.

And as the grip loosened just a fraction, an invisibility cloak slipped off to reveal the chilling, grey eyes of Lucius Malfoy, his smirk as cold as ice.

"Well now," he whispered, "what do we have here?"

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

:nervous laughter: Please don't hurt me. I wrote an extra long chapter as a peace offering. XD And I updated in under a year! xD

Yes! The plot thickens with more angst-y goodness! I've finally explained why we had several people living at the stronghold (I know a lot of you were wondering) and Draco and Co. finally got a lucky break and should be reaching Hogwarts next chapter.

As always, your comments are very much appreciated. Thank you sooo much to those of you that do review, it means a lot to me!

Also, a bit of self advertising. :sweatdrop: I wrote a one-shot titled My Farewell and it sadly didn't get feedback I was hoping for (it got nearly a thousand page views though xD). If you're in the mood to read it, your review would be kindly appreciated there as well.


	15. One Small Choice Can Shape Who You Are

**Disclaimer: Seeing as the series is over, I can't even wish for rights anymore. Which mean I don't own Harry Potter although I do own my horrible theology class. Anyone wanna trade?**

**Black is Our World**

**One Small Choice Can Shape the Person You are Today**

**Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to my dog, Psi Chi. He passed away a few weeks ago and I miss him dearly (he was 14 ½ and I've had him since I was 4). I know you're happier up in Heaven, Psi Chi, but I miss you, as does everyone else in my family. Hope you're having a wonderful time chasing squirrels and hanging with your cousins. We miss you, but you'll never be forgotten. Rest in peace.**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_This is your inciting incident  
A long lost friend comes back to you, back to you  
A trickle of emotions and memories  
Now flood your mind with curiosities  
You wonder what your life could have been  
Something more, something better than what you are, what you are  
Looking for the purpose behind the plan  
You dig deep but surface with only empty hands_

_  
One small choice can have a way  
Of shaping the person you are today_

_And now desperately you try to shake  
The aching question bubbling in your mind, in your mind  
If all the things you've every done  
Good or bad have made you who you are, or someone else  
You try and shake that doppelganger  
That would be someone else that you're not, that you're not  
'Cause comparing yourself with yourself  
Is a tricky business at its best_

__

--Doppelganger; Halfpenny Marvel

xxx

xxx

His feet kicked uselessly beneath him, his eyes growing darker with every passing second to nearly rival the silver pair in intensity. Speech was beyond him at the moment, what with his air supply cut off, so he settled for glaring and squirming to the best of his ability, cursing himself for dropping his wand.

If possible, Lucius' smirk grew wider, and he cast a condescending glance at the boy he was holding up in the air. "I had the strangest feeling something was amiss," he said, voice colder than ice, but taunting. "You really should learn to cover your tracks better, Zabini."

Disgusted, he threw the Slytherin onto the ground, Blaise hacking and gasping for breath. In the midst of those few seconds, he reached for his wand, but Lucius kicked it out of the way and then slammed his foot down on Blaise's outstretched hand. If he'd had enough air to, Blaise would have screamed as all the bones were shattered on impact.

"H-how?" Blaise managed to rasp, tears blurring his vision and pain making his head swim.

Lucius shook his head, in an uncanny similarity to Draco when he was shaking his in disbelief. "Now, why should I explain anything to a blood-traitor like you?" he asked, although the question wasn't posed as such. "No… the only thing you get to know is how much pain you're going to be in very shortly."

"Leave him alone!" yelled Pansy, her eyes molten pools of blue in a gaze so narrowed the orbs were mere slits. "Get away from him! Don't you dare touch Blaise!"

"I don't believe I asked for your opinion," the Malfoy said, pointing his wand at Pansy through the bars. Wordlessly, a red light shot out and slammed into the girl, forcing her to hit the back wall, completely knocked out. "If anyone else wishes to be silenced, do let me know," Lucius said amiably.

Reaching down, he hauled Blaise up by his hair, the boy just bordering on consciousness. "Now if you'll so excuse us, I believe Zabini has an appointment with the Dark Lord." Not waiting for a response, Lucius swept from the corridor, dragging Blaise by his hair behind him and up the stairs, the sickening thud of the body echoing back down.

Ginny burst into loud sobs and sank to her knees, Hannah slumping against the back wall by Pansy, mechanically pulling the girl's dark head into her lap so it wasn't on the cold stone. Across the hall, Lavender had buried her face in her hands, while Fred was strangely stoic and Neville stared at the end of the hall.

Blaise's wand lay forgotten on the floor, unfortunately kicked too far for anyone in the cells to get to it. The bag Blaise had been carrying lay on the floor, random items scattered about and the book he'd been reading from resting against the bars of the all girl's cell.

The redheaded girl wiped her eyes and fished the book through the bars, not knowing exactly why, but the book was better off with them then with the Death Eaters.

"What do you think they're going to do to him?" Neville whispered.

"Maybe a brand like they gave Draco," Fred said, his face dry, but his voice wavering.

They all knew it was going to be worse than that though. There was no way they would let him go so lightly after he'd tried to free them. Free them from a ritual where they would be sacrificed.

"What…what do you think….think he meant about the ritual?" Hannah asked quietly, running her hands through Pansy's thick locks, still clean from her shower just two days ago. "They're going to… sacrifice us?"

"I don't think I want to know," said Lavender, hugging herself. "He said they only needed four though, and that's including Draco. So… three of us. Three of us are going to die before then."

"We need to get out of here," Ginny said, voice cracking, cradling the book to her chest. "Since they know we know… they have nothing stopping them."

"Blaise's wand is right there," Neville said slowly, staring at the stick of wood. "If we could get it…"

"How?" Hannah asked. "I hate to be a pessimist, but it's not exactly in reach."

"And none of us know wandless magic," Fred said softly.

"What about accidental magic?" asked Ginny. "You know, like when we were kids. When we'd have a strong enough emotion, something would happen."

"But it was always sporadic," Fred countered, hating to dash their hopes, but it wouldn't do to dwell on the impossible. "Like George and I would blow stuff up or turn things different colors. We can't just use it to summon it here."

"Well, it's got to have some basis," said Ginny with a huff. "We used accidental magic because we didn't have a wand to channel it through. We haven't had wands for more than three months now! Something has to have been affected, right?"

"Maybe if we all just concentrate really hard on it," Neville suggested. "Like, mind power or something."

"Star Wars," laughed Lavender weakly, "May the force be with you." No one else understood what the Gryffindor was talking about, save Hannah, who's lips turned up in a small smile. "It's worth a shot."

"Even if we do get it, and that's a major if," said Fred, "Where are we going to run to? What about Blaise?"

"Focus on those things later," said Ginny. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, for now we need the wand to do anything."

The group situated themselves along the front of the cell, all sitting down and staring at the stick. Pansy was still soundly knocked out, her head still resting against Hannah. All five prisoners stared at the wand and concentrated on bringing it to them.

After a few minutes, nothing had happened. "It's not going to work," Fred said, glaring at the stick. "Accidental magic doesn't work that way." With a weary sigh, he fell back onto the floor, his arms crossed behind his head.

"It has to work," Ginny whispered. "It's so close! How can we let this opportunity get away?"

"Easily," drawled a new voice, but one everyone recognized. Marlin swept into view and flicked Blaise's wand into his outstretched hand. His coal eyes smoldered and a sadistic grin sat upon his lips. "You just let me come and ruin your fun."

"What are you going to do to Blaise?" Ginny demanded.

"I can't say I know for sure," he said, twirling his newfound wand. "Maybe torture him a bit, brand him… if the Dark Lord is feeling particularly generous, perhaps he'll kill him and spare him what he'd otherwise endure. Somehow though, I can't see that happening."

"So you won't kill him?" Neville asked, almost scared to voice the question.

"I didn't say that," Marlin leered. "Maybe the Dark Lord will torture him so badly he'll wish for death. And then maybe we'll grant it… after watching him suffer and slowly go insane. Maybe you could watch over him, Longbottom," he said, turning his feral grin to the boy. "You have some expertise in victims who have gone insane from being subject to the Cruciatus Curse, am I not correct? Maybe you can have the honor of putting him out of his misery."

Neville's face had gone from white to ashen grey and his legs trembled beneath him before he finally collapsed onto the ground. Lavender looked at him with concern as he sat shaking as badly as a leaf in a tornado.

"I must be going now," said Marlin, grabbing the bag Blaise had brought down as well. "I wouldn't want to miss any of the fun upstairs. But don't worry, we'll deal with you all soon enough." With a wave that was anything but friendly, Marlin headed down the corridor and, for good measure, plunged the dungeon into darkness- it was nearly midnight anyways and the lights should have been off long ago.

"Neville?" Lavender asked gently, placing a hand on his shoulder, the boy nearly jumping out of his skin. The girl met Fred's eyes over Neville's head, and was scared by the hopeless expression reflected in the brown orbs. "Fred?" she whispered.

"I can't keep doing this," he said, tears threatening to spill over his eyes. "Ron… George… George is… is… why am I still here? Why do I get to live? Why do I have to watch everyone I ever loved suffer and die?"

Lavender altered her position so she was between both boys, one hand clasped in Neville's and the other draped around Fred's shoulder. His body shook with sobs, silent, but still there. "I want George… I want my twin," he whimpered.

"I know," Lavender whispered, tears streaming from her own face as her thumb moved circle on his shoulder. "I know."

"I should have died… George should be alive, not me. I want George," he whispered brokenly again, his fingers clutching in the fabric of Lavender's sweater.

"G-George…" she started, voice trembling. "He wanted you…you to live, Fred. He loved you so much he'd…he would rather die than watch you."

"But why?" Fred wailed, no longer bothering to keep his tears to himself. Across the hall, Ginny started and tears made trails down her cheeks as her only remaining brother broke apart. "Why did I have to watch him die? I didn't want him to save me! I didn't want him to die for me!"

"George wanted you to live, Fred," Ginny said from across the hall. "He loved all of us… but you most of all. I don't think he… he wouldn't want to see you like this."

"Then he shouldn't have left me," Fred whispered, voice muffled against Lavender. "It's all my fault he's gone… I killed George."

"Don't say that," Lavender admonished gently. "You loved George more than anyone ever could and you would never do anything to hurt him. You're not at fault, he did what he did so he could protect you. Because he loved you that much."

Fred only cried harder, burying his face deeper into Lavender's shoulder. Neville too had gotten over his bout of shock and had one arm draped over Lavender and the other over Fred. Across, Ginny lay curled up in Hannah's arms, while Pansy was still oblivious to it all.

And so they sat in the darkness, awaiting their imminent death with no way in which to stop it. The darkness had a hold on them, slowly seeping into their hearts and turning everything into despair. It really was a black world.

xxx

"What is the meaning of this?" Nirav snarled, pacing the room and alternating his glare between Lucius and Blaise. Voldemort was not yet in the room, or the senior Zabini would not have dared act so vicious to the right-hand man. "Stop your lies, Lucius!"

"I am not lying," the man smirked, tossing his silvery-blond hair back over his shoulder. "Your son is a blood traitor and attempted to help the prisoners escape."

"He is loyal! Just because your son switched-"

"This does not involve Draco! He is no son of mine!"

"Then why can't you keep yourself from fucking him?" Nirav shot back. "Bad case of narcissism there."

"How dare you," Lucius hissed. "Ask your son then if you're so sure I'm lying. He'll tell you," the blond snarled, throwing Blaise to the ground with a crash.

Before Nirav could open his mouth the doors swung open to reveal Voldemort, flanked by Bellatrix and Marlin, the latter of who was carrying Blaise's things.

"I brought proof," he sing-songed, dropping the bag next to Blaise's head, where the Slytherin lay unconscious. "Try believing he's innocent now." The contents were spilled to reveal a few spell books, some dry food, clothing, and necessary toiletries. A bundle of rope lay neatly coiled as well as a lantern and a few blankets.

"I refuse to believe this," Nirav said, shaking his head. "Blaise would never turn against us!"

Bella sighed. "It'd be a shame if he did, I'd hate to have to harm that pretty face of his."

Voldemort's red eyes glowed. "There really is a simple way to find out," he hissed, placing his wand between Blaise's eyes. "Rennervate (1)."

Blaise's eyes fluttered open, and he stared blearily up at the Death Eaters surrounding him, not quite comprehending what was happening. Then, his eyes widened in fear and he tried to get up. However, Voldemort had locked eyes with him, and without even uttering the spell, began to prod through Blaise's memories.

Injured and still bordering on consciousness, Blaise couldn't even put up a decent fight as his shields lowered and exposed the incriminating evidence.

Moments later, Voldemort drew back, cruel sneer distorting his face further. "He is a traitor and has been so from nearly the beginning." He cast his glance between Lucius and Nirav. "How is it that two of my top Death Eaters are unable to produce heirs that aren't turncoats?"

"No, this can't be," Nirav gasped. "Blaise, tell me it's a lie. You are my son! You cannot do this!"

Blaise, his tongue seemingly too big to form words, just shook his head slightly, but met his father's gaze.

"How could you do this to me?" Nirav screamed, backhanding the boy, the force toppling him once more to the floor. "How can you betray your family?"

"No… no family," he muttered, tongue loosely forming the words, "would ever do what you do. It's wrong."

"I raised you! I trained you to become this! You give me a better answer than that, Blaise! Now!"

Marlin caught one of Nirav's arms and steadied the man. "Don't go denying our Lord's decision, Zabini. Unless you want to be a traitor too."

Growling, Nirav tore his arm from the other man's grasp, but didn't make any movement.

Voldemort laughed, the sound grating worse than nails on a chalkboard. "I need not remind you, Nirav, that whatever punishment is decided is final. The fact that he is your son makes no difference to me."

"Yes, my lord," Nirav said, staring humbly down at the floor.

"Then, he shall first be branded a traitor. It need not be public, as it would only incite the prisoners more. After that, I leave him to you, Marlin and Bellatrix. Lucius, if you desire you may join them as well. Break down his spirit and crush him. Do not kill him yet though.

"Nirav…" Voldemort's voice turned silky, almost caring. "I can understand that this may change is very hard. I grant you one day in which to grieve, but then you are to return to your duties. If you wish, you may also join in the fun, but the choice is up to you.

"Three days is what I give you three. After that, he is to be put in a single cell where he will slowly and painfully die in front of his _friends,_"he said, spitting the word like it was rancid.

"My lord," Marlin said, giving a respectful bow, "What exactly is to be done with the other prisoners? We can be rid of Longbottom and the Brown girl whenever you wish."

"Let them live until Zabini dies. Then, kill them in whatever means you would like."

"As you wish, my lord," Marlin said, again bowing low, while Bella performed a curtsy.

"You are dismissed."

xxx

"_I failed," _he thought, tears brimming in his eyes before finding their way down his cheeks. _"Everyone is going to die… I couldn't save them. I should have tried harder, fought harder. But I'm too weak… and now everyone is going to pay for it."_

The Slytherin was being dragged to the receiving hall to receive his burn… such a fitting name. Marlin had the front of his robes and was showing no concern at all as the boy's head clipped against the stone. Bella was giggling insanely, eyeing him like a wolf would eye a deer. Lucius had vanished back to his chambers, wanting to retire for the night. And Nirav had gone to his, to mourn the loss of his only son.

"I hope you scream really loud," the witch cackled, nearly skipping. "Louder than Draco!"

He didn't answer, squeezing his eyes shut and wishing that any minute he would wake up. That he'd be back at Hogwarts in his chamber, playing exploding snap with Draco while Pansy watched and suggested plays. That he could sit on the bank of the lake and watch Pansy and Draco bicker about going swimming. To eat dinner with all of his classmates and see the teachers beaming down at them. To be anywhere but here.

Not even protesting, he was hauled up to the platform and his arms and legs tied down to the knobs sticking out of the wood. His right hand hurt something bloody awful, the mangled bone having only gotten worse with the beating up and down the stairs.

With one swift yank, Marlin ripped of Blaise's outer robe and dropped it over the side of the platform. Within seconds, he was stripped from the waist up, even his socks and shoes removed. Bella gleefully handed Marlin the clear bottle Lucius has used earlier, and the male Death Eater applied it to the Dark Mark.

Blaise whimpered as Bella 'accidentally' stepped on his broken hand as she walked around him, brand in her grasp. "I get to do this," she said haughtily, "since I know you're going to claim more of the physical torture methods."

"Fine," Marlin conceded. "Have your fun. I get first go at him after this."

Bella nodded and bent down so she was hovering right above Blaise's face. "Come now, open your eyes," she cooed. "They're so pretty; I want to watch them."

Shaking his head, Blaise kept them tightly shut, not wanting to see the deranged face of the woman. "Well, we'll see," she said, finger trailing down his face in an almost seductive manner. Muscles tense, Blaise waited for what he knew would be the first of many painful experiences.

The red-hot metal connected with his flesh a moment later. For a split second he considered trying not to scream, just to show them he wasn't as weak as they dictated, but the agony was too much.

His throat was raw in moments. Bella's laughter could hardly be heard over his cries, but she continued to push the brand harder against his arm, delighting in the torment she was wreaking. His eyes had opened, blue orbs pinpricks as the horror and pain consumed him.

Finally, she removed it after a minute, the skin already festering and bleeding openly around the burnt and crackling parts. Blaise was sobbing, breath catching in his throat and giving him hiccups after a little bit. "That was fun," said Bella. "What next, Marlin?"

"I just got some new toys from Asia," the man grinned sadistically. "Shall we try them out?" Cackling, Bella agreed. The two hoisted Blaise up from the floor and proceeded to tow him to the torture chambers that Blaise had toured just days ago.

Marlin hoisted him into the handcuffs dangling from the ceiling, Blaise nearly blacking out from the pain as his weight was put on his destroyed hand.

"We are going to have to heal him a bit at times," Bella said sadly. "Otherwise he will die. And, try not to hit his face. It's such a pretty face."

Marlin grunted, but acknowledged the witch's thought and cast a minor healing spell on Blaise's hand… just enough so the pain was lessened slightly and they wouldn't have to worry about him blacking out.

He then led Bella over to the display on the table and the two of them began to choose their weapons.

Blaise just closed his eyes tightly, knowing he had to hold out for as long as possible. They wouldn't kill Neville and Lavender until he was dead. So… he just had to live. He had to save them, even if just for an extra day.

Otherwise, his life was just as worthless as he had originally thought it to be. He couldn't protect Pansy. He couldn't protect Draco. He couldn't save his friends. He couldn't even save himself.

His life could have been great. He could have had power. But humanity got in the way, and he had made his choice. And that small choice had changed his life. And now it was going to end it.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

1. Originally titled 'ennervate' Rowling changed the spelling later on. I prefer the first spelling, but to maintain the correct wording, I'll be using this.

Ho hum, I'm alive :D Yeah, I know, but I updated in under a year. And I have a lot of ideas brimming for this, so expect a new update not too far down the road.

Also, I thought Fred deserved a moment. I got to thinking that if my twin died like that, (or even if she died at all) I would be a mess for weeks. And since Rowling killed Fred off and didn't give George any grieving time, I gave him some space.

I hope you all enjoy the chapter. If you did, please leave me your feedback, I'd love to hear what you thought. Even a simple 'please update' keeps me motivated because I know people are reading. Thanks for those that reviewed last time!

Oh, and if you're never heard Halfpenny Marvel, you're missing out. Go find them now! They're still a small band, but they're getting up there! (I love their song Ashes of an Argument and also Spectacle and Show)


	16. Won't Let You Give Up on a Miracle

**Disclaimer: It would hopefully be obvious after sixteen chapters, I don't own Harry Potter (or Draco, Fred, and Blaise no matter how much I wished xD)**

**Black is Our World**

**Won't Let You Give Up On a Miracle Cause it Might Save You**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_I've gone for too long living like I'm not alive  
So I'm going to start over tonight  
Beginning with you and I  
When this memory fades  
I'm gonna make sure it's replaced  
With chances taken  
Hope embraced  
I hope I told you _

_I'm not going  
Cause I've been waiting for a miracle  
And I'm not leaving  
I won't let you  
Let you give up on a miracle  
Cause it might save you_

_We've learned to run from  
Anything uncomfortable  
We've tied our pain below and no one ever has to know  
That inside we're broken  
I tried to patch things up again  
To cut my tears and kill my fears  
But have I told you, have I..._

_--Miracle; Paramore_

_xxx_

_xxx_

"He's lasted a lot longer than I would have thought," Bella remarked, staring at the boy sprawled out on the ground in front of her. "Do we really have to stop soon? I haven't had this much fun in years." She once again, for over the hundredth time that die, muttered '_crucio_' and pointed her wand at the figure.

With a jerk, he began to convulse, but no sound came from his parted lips, only a constant dribble of blood. His blue eyes were wide with agony, but dulled from the pain and hopelessness. They had been asked to break his spirit, and broke it they had. Three days of non-stop torture would do that to anyone.

They hadn't fed him once during the days and they gave him the barest amounts of water to keep him alive. His body was literally broken; his right hand still mangled (and worse than from when it started), and his left one busted pretty badly too. His back was a mass of bleeding, scarring lashes from the different kinds of whips Marlin had tested out, and bruises littered his entire body, save his face where still the only mark was from his father.

His body was constantly wracked in convulsions from the various Dark curses he had been subject too, most especially the Cruciatus Curse as it was Bella's favorite. Added to all that were the various weapons Marlin had tested, and as a result he had puncture and stab wounds over his body. Bones were fractured everywhere; both arms, a few busted ribs, and what might have been a broken leg.

It hurt to breathe. Even that simple task required his every last bit of attention, and the fact he was constantly under a barrage of curses did nothing to help. His mind couldn't focus on a set train of thought; he wasn't even aware if he could form a single coherent thought anymore.

He didn't remember why this was happening; his mind had shut down. He wanted the pain to stop… he wanted to die. But whenever he was about to let himself succumb, two faces would flash in front of him. A brown haired girl and boy, gaunt and skeletal, but happy, their eyes smiling at him.

Vaguely, he felt someone pick his chin up so he was forced to look into the woman's eyes. But it was difficult, she was shaking him now and his head pounded even more. She said something, but all he heard was noise, before she thankfully let his head drop back down to the cold stone.

Burning pain struck a moment later and his throat screamed in anguish as the raw, abused muscle tried to emit a sound. He curled in on himself, as if to ward off other blows, but it was hopeless. Something crashed into his side and he rolled across the floor, coming to a stop after a few seconds.

"I don't think he can even understand us," Marlin chuckled, kicking Blaise again for good measure, the steel toe of his boots gouging the purple and blue skin. "Lying in that cell will be quite comfortable I'm thinking. He'll get to rest and then finally die in less than an hour."

"I wish we hadn't had to heal him," Bella sighed. "But since our master said we weren't to kill…" Indeed, if the two hadn't cast a few minor healing spells every now and then, their victim would have died multiple times over from blood loss.

"What should we do for this last little bit of time?" the wizard asked, giving another kick to the whimpering boy.

Bella shrugged. "It was more fun before he stopped screaming. We could always try out some of those Dark spells from that book Lucius brought in."

"Sounds good to me," said Marlin, picking the heavily bound book off the nearest table. "Anything look good to you?"

"_Flammatra_ sounds interesting," the witch said, pointing a finely-manicured nail at the entry. "The Darkness Flame," she translated. "I think I'll give that a try." Turning to Blaise's barely-breathing form she uttered the spell.

At once, black flames erupted on the boy's body, a rolling, hungry mass of fire that hissed and spit. In a split-second, the flames shot out and with it went a cascade of blood, exiting through nearly every gash on the injured boy.

"Oooh, pretty!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands and looking for all the world like a child at Honeyduke's. "I want to do that again!"

"Heal him first," Marlin said, "or he's going to die in a few minutes."

"Always ruining my fun," she grumbled, but went over to the moaning figure, still coughing up blood onto the stone. "Why do you have to be so weak?" she asked, glaring at him. "Always having to heal you, how pointless."

She backed up again and looked at Marlin. "Once more, and then you can try something," she assured, repeating the Dark curse.

"Women…," the wizard groused under his breath.

"What?" she shrieked, whirling to face her compatriot. "What did you say?"

"Nothing, oh cruel and villainous Bella."

"Good. Or I might just slip and use this on you."

xxx

"We made really good timing. I guess my calculations were a bit off," the auror said, gazing out across the hills. "Which is definitely a good thing; if we're lucky we'll be able to restock, and if it wasn't raided there may even be a potion or two that'll help Draco."

The group was standing on a hill about two or three miles away from their destination. Hogwarts lay below them, the building still standing despite the huge chunks of obviously missing mortar from the battle. It was too far away, however, to make out anymore.

"Do you think they have guards?" Bill asked, staring at his second home. "They're probably expecting people to try and return, right?"

"I don't think they would," Remus said. "Despite the fact that Hogwarts is indeed a good landmark, it is also where a battle occurred; many would not venture back."

"Do you… Do you think the bodies are still… there?" Hermione asked softly, blinking back tears.

Tonks heaved a heavy sigh. "Most likely. And despite the fact they deserve a decent burial, we don't have the time. Maybe one day… when this war is over. It'll be hard to recognize anyone anyway… if they are out there, they've been left to the elements all this time."

The Gryffindor girl shook her head. "We had to wear name bracelets or necklaces," she said softly. "Mine got taken away when we were captured, but I'm sure everyone who…They still have theirs."

"Let's go," said Remus softly, giving Hermione's arm a gentle squeeze. "We've completed step one of the riddle… we need to rest up so we can solve the rest of it and find Dumbledore."

The girl nodded and gave Honey a light tap with her heels, the horse breaking into a swift trot down the grassy slope behind Tonks.

They really did need to rest… and badly. They had been on the move constantly and only settled down for a few hours at night to allow the horses to rest. Their food supply was nearly gone and so were their meager medical supplies. They were bone-weary and needed a chance to rest. Draco especially, he had only woken up once in the last three days, and even then he was delirious and only awake for a few minutes.

Hogwarts hopefully wasn't raided completely; if they were lucky many things would still be intact and there'd be a good stock of supplies in the Hospital Wing and maybe even food in the kitchens.

They reached the base of the castle in a matter of minutes, coming up on the side by the lake, which was strangely undisturbed. In fact, if you turned your back to the castle and just gazed out across the water, Hermione could almost pretend she was back at school and just out for a walk.

With a sudden jolt, she stopped the horse and Remus toppled off with a yelp. "What is it? Is something wrong?" Bill asked, his horse also stopping abruptly.

"I'll be back in one moment," she said, eyes focused on an outcropping of rock further up the shoreline.

"Hermione?" Tonks said, puzzled frown on her face as the girl and Honey took off. "I wonder what she's up to… We really should stick together just in case there is a Death Eater wandering around."

"She's not out of sight," Remus said, rising and dusting himself off from the fall. "Just give her a minute."

Hermione meanwhile had reached the outcropping and simply stared, tears welling up in her eyes. They were still here. Everything was.

Her bag sat on a grassy patch, a pile of books belonging to Ron flung down haphazardly near them. Harry had neatly stacked his two textbooks from their Potions final in the shade of the rock, and both sat there. This was it. This was the last moment her life had been normal. When they had all had a future that looked promising. When they had been happy.

Jumping off of Honey, the Gryffindor slowly made her way over to the grassy knoll next to the rock and collapsed in front of her bag. Flipping over, she lay on her back and stared up at the sky, the clouds drifting lazily overhead. And with them, the last remnants of the last happiest day of her life. A life when her best friends were still alive.

Moving from her position, she grabbed Ron's books too her, the covers damp and the pages worse, but the writing still legible. In the front cover of his Potions book his name was written in his horribly, messy scrawl. Hermione had never seen anything so beautiful.

Flipping open the book she paged through, Ron's comments dotting random margins of the text, little doodles (most of them consisting of tic-tac-toe games and little potion bottles and cauldrons), and even her own handwriting as she underline and noted aspects he should learn.

Getting up, she grabbed Harry's two books and sat down, to flip through his. What surprised her was when a sheet of paper fell out of the front cover, strangely undamaged from the elements. Unfolding it, Hermione let out a choked cry as she read the first few lines, her shoulders shaking.

_Ginny,_

_It's been years since I've wanted to say this, and I've just never had the courage to. I know, the brave Harry Potter afraid. But it's true. The thought that you might not feel the same way scared me, and I didn't want to be hurt._

_But it's only fair you know. I mean, I'm graduating in a few days and then we have the whole summer. I think I love you. No, I do love you. Ever since my second year. I tried to ignore the feelings; I didn't think Ron would feel comfortable if I dated you (he'd probably try to hex me or something) but I realized that that was wrong of me. If Ron loved both of us he would understand. So, I love you, Ginny Weasley. I love your smile and the way your eyes sparkle. I love your vibrant personality and your confidence. I love every single last freckle on you._

_There, I said it. And I'm not going to take it back. I can only hope you feel the same way about me. If you do, please meet me at the Astronomy Tower tomorrow at eleven. If you don't return my feelings, just know that I'll never stop loving you and I'll always care for you._

_I love you._

_Forever yours,_

_Harry Potter. _

She sat and cried for she didn't know how long. Her knees drawn up to her chest with a book of Harry and Ron's pressed against her and the letter in her hand. Bowing her head, she sobbed and sobbed, no end to the tears in sight.

Her best friends were dead. Gone. Forever. They'd never share another joke. She'd never reprimand them on their homework. They'd never go on another adventure, or sit by the lake, or eat together again. They were gone, and she had never had a real chance to say good bye. She'd never hug them again or ruffle their hair. She'd never see Ron's ears turn red or hear his laugh again. She'd never hear Harry's wisdom or comfort him when he needed a shoulder to lean on.

A strong pair of arms wrapped around her at some point during her crying and she leaned into them, wailing and sobbing and whispering their names.

"Shhhh," Tonks whispered, rocking the two of them gently back and forth. "Just let it out, Hermione. It's okay… I'm here."

The others had grown concerned when they had heard the wailing and had dashed over immediately. It didn't take a genius to figure out the basis of what had upset the girl; the books and her bag that they all recognized gave almost everything away.

"They're gone," she whimpered, voice thick. "They're gone. I mean," she said, wiping her eyes, "I knew that… but… now… we were happy," she continued, her words disjointed. "Why couldn't we stay happy?"

They all recognized a rhetorical question and wisely didn't answer. Bill was thumbing through Ron's books, several others coated in his scrawl, and the now oldest Weasley had tears dripping down his face. Lupin sat next to Tonks and Hermione, his own arm around Tonks' shoulders.

A few minutes later, Hermione has calmed her sniffling and simply sat, staring out across the water. "I wonder if I had anything interesting in my bag," she said softly, but made no move to go get it. "We'd just come from our Potions final," she continued. "Ron was complaining about how hard it was and I was saying I wish everyday was like this, even with the exam. And Harry just laughed and said it was only easy for me since I was the 'smartest witch since the founding of Hogwarts'. I just wish it never had to end. We were supposed to meet Ginny for lunch in an hour, I remember. And Draco and I were going to lead the last Prefects meeting that night and take nominations for Head boy and girl.

"I can even remember the Potions final. Snape gave a really hard one like he did every year, but he was even being nice to the Gryffindors. I don't think he was attached to us or anything, but it was the last time we were going to be in his class. He didn't even subtract house points when Neville blew up his first cauldron," she said with a laugh, wiping the tears away. "Snape… he was actually the last person I saw before I woke up in that cell. I think he'd just died," she whispered. "But he fought so hard. Everyone did."

"I had just woken up," Bill said, cradling Ron's book to his chest. "I was up till the wee hours of morning the night before going over the new shipment of stuff Fred and George had ordered for the shop. Next thing I know my mum was screaming that Hogwarts was under attack.

"My dad was there and so was Charlie; Fred and George had left with their joke shop stuff earlier. So, Mum told us to be careful, gave us both a hug, and said that we were all going to be eating dinner at six-thirty and we'd better not be late. And then we got to Hogwarts… and then I must have gotten hit in the back and I woke up at the camp."

Hermione went over and hugged the Weasley. Out of everyone, the Weasleys had suffered the most. They'd lost most of their family and their friends. All of the remaining ones had been treated cruelly up until their deaths or were still in horrible captivity; all because everyone knew a Weasley on sight and they were the worse of the blood traitors.

Finally gathering the nerve, Hermione flipped open her bag and settled down between Bill and Tonks to open it. Out first came her books; still in pristine condition save the water damage (which was minimal as Hermione had cast a water-repellent charm on her bag). She had her favorite feather quill in there that she brushed lightly against her cheek.

Several rolls of parchment lie inside, with a single one tied with a red and gold ribbon. Pulling the ribbon off, Hermione unrolled it and held it before her, tears once more threatening her eyes. A list with all of the activities and goals the three friends had planned for the summer lay on the parchment, three different handwritings filling the space.

_**1. Begin looking for jobs** _was written in Hermione's neat and legible cursive. Ron took slot number two saying:

**2. Make Hermione learn to ride a broomstick! **And then Harry's…

_3. Go on a camping trip_

_4. Travel somewhere far away… America or maybe Canada_

_**5. Teach Ron to cook in the muggle way**_

**6. GO SWIMMING!**

And the list went on and on, all the way to twenty different activities they had had planned, each one alternating in who wrote it. Setting it gently aside, Hermione pulled out the last item; her mouth falling open in shock.

It was a picture. One she had never seen before. She, Ron, Harry, Neville, and Lavender were grinning at the camera, smiling and waving enthusiastically. Ron and Harry were in their quidditch robes with broomsticks in hand, while the other three were decked out in Gryffindor scarves and hats.

Flipping it over, she read the caption on the back, as well as a piece of paper attached with tape. The caption read: _Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Lavender Brown, and Neville Longbottom at 3__rd__ Quidditch game of the season; Gryffindor triumphs Hufflepuff._

The piece of paper read: _Hey Hermione! I heard you were collecting photos of the seventh years for a scrapbook. I thought you'd like this; I couldn't find you at breakfast this morning, so I just slipped this in your bag during Potions. Let me know if you want more; I can go ask Colin. Love, Parvati. _

Hermione flipped it back over and gazed at the smiling faces. All of her other photos she was sure were most likely destroyed; either being at Hogwarts or at her house. "Thanks, Parvati," she whispered, hugging it to her. She had no idea what had happened to her fellow Gryffindor; she hadn't seen her since the Potion's final.

She carefully put the picture, one of her books, and the scroll with the group's plans back in her bag, as well as Harry's book and letter and one of Ron' books she'd been holding. "I'm taking this with me," she said. "I can't leave it here."

Tonks nodded. "Since we have horses we can take a few more things. Not to get your hopes up," she said gently, "but there may still be some of your things intact at the castle. I can't imagine the Death Eaters would take the time to burn everything."

It was the first time Tonks had seen the girl look so happy since finding Bill. "Really?" she whispered. "Oh, let's hurry! Let's get to the castle!"

"All aboard the horses!" Tonks laughed, getting back on Chocolate where Draco had been resting on the horse's back. The others followed suit, Bill holding Ron's book and Hermione with her old book bag.

"Do I have to get back on?" Remus asked, eyeing the horse distrustfully.

"I'm sorry about that," Hermione said, a light blush coating her cheeks. "I shouldn't have stopped so quickly. Are you okay?"

"I guess I'll live," the werewolf sighed dramatically, getting back up on the horse. "Let's go then."

Clucking to her horse, Tonks led the party away from the lake and towards the castle, that represented many things. A home. A safe haven. A battle ground. A place of death.

But most of all home. A place with hope that would guide them closer to finding Dumbledore. And then to freedom.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

Mwahaha, I got that up fast. I have a lot of ideas for this fic so before I lose my drive I'm writing as fast as I can. I hope you're all enjoying the quick updates.

I've been having fun playing with the emotions of the characters. I realize that because of the situation they're in they haven't had much time to grieve. But they really do need to let it all out. When my dog died I cried for weeks. It's only realistic that a human being would be even more upsetting.

I was a little disappointed with both the review count _and_ the hit count. Which is unusual, normally I have a lot more hits even if no one bothers to review. But it seems a lot of you just didn't even come by and read. And if you did, you didn't bother to leave a comment. I noticed several of you put this story on your alert or favorites; thank you! If you have the chance though, dropping a review so I can see why you liked it so much to add it would really be wonderful.

If you'd like to show your thanks, press the little review button. And thank you to all of those who reviewed! And honestly, tell me, have you cried during this chappie or the last one with Fred/Hermione's breakdown? I did xD


	17. This Moment is Perfect Please Don't Go

**Author's Notes: **I'm trying something different and typing the gist of the AN's up here. Maybe you'll actually read them this way. Thank you to the amazingly awesome **29 **people who reviewed last chapter. Although it is rather disappointing as the chapter got just over **500** hits and it's on **160 **alerts and over **170 **favorites. I would have hoped everyone who had it on alert/favorite would at least pop in and give me their feedback on the chapter. It's depressing to write it when almost no one appreciates it.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the chapter. It'd be awesome if you could review (especially if you add BOW to either your favorite or alert lists so I know why you liked it). Thanks!

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related characters belong to J.K. Rowling and I claim no ownership of this story except to my characters, the plot, and my writing style.**

**Black is Our World**

**This Moment is Perfect So Please Don't Go Away**

___xxx_

_xxx_

___Waking up I see that everything is okay  
The first time in my life  
and now it's so great  
Slowing down I look around and I am so amazed  
I think about the little things  
that make life great  
I wouldn't change a thing about it  
This is the best feeling _

_This innocence is brilliant  
I hope that it will stay  
This moment is perfect  
Please don't go away  
I need you now  
And I'll hold on to it  
Don't you let it pass you by_

_I found a place so safe, not a single tear  
The first time in my life  
and now it's so clear_

_Feel calm, I belong, I'm so happy here  
It's so strong and now I let myself be sincere  
I wouldn't change a thing about it  
This is the best feeling_

_--Innocence, Avril Lavigne_

_xxx_

_xxx_

The group stared somberly at the main courtyard of the castle, right before the main doors, mouths open in horror. It really was a battleground. Chunks of land were ripped up, trees uprooted, and scorch marks on almost every surface. It was the bodies though that drew the attention though.

They were everywhere. Students in their uniforms, aurors lying in the the purple and blue of the ministry, random wizards and witches who had shown dressed in their street clothes. And then of course the Death Eaters, black robes and white masks still intact.

"How horrible," Hermione whispered.

"Someone's been here," Tonks said, her auror eyes assessing the situation differently.

"W-what?" the girl asked. "What do you mean? Death Eaters?"

"No… Look, there are distinctly more Death Eaters than our side out there."

"We didn't take as many losses?" Bill asked.

Tonks shook her head, lips pursed. "No, we took more. Someone has been moving the bodies."

"But… that means they're probably good, right? I mean, they're probably burying them."

"They could be using them for some type of sacrifice or ritual," the auror said. "And I wouldn't put it past the Death Eaters to not even bother to bury their dead. That's just how sadistic they are. We should tread lightly. We'll bring the horses towards the castle and tie them up on the inner courtyard; there will probably be grass growing. After that, we're heading inside and going for the Hospital Wing. No noise, and we'll go single file. Remus, you go first. Bill, you take the middle with Draco, Hermione behind them and I'll cover the rear. Questions?"

As the horses neared the bodies, they balked, and only constant nudging kept them moving and fortunately silent. Hermione refrained from looking down, her eyes staring straight ahead at the castle so she wouldn't have to look upon dead classmates.

The stench was awful. If only the battle had taken place in the cooler months and not the beginning of summer (but preferably not at all) although there was nothing they could do about it. Within minutes they had passed the worst of it.

She didn't know why, but Hermione had assumed all of the battle had taken place on the front lawn. She hadn't expected it to carry into the confines of the castle. The inner courtyard had a few bodies slumped over here and there, although there were stains where corpses had once lain and were now gone.

There was, however, a good amount of grass poking up from in between the flagstones. And the horses eagerly set upon it, since it was a decent away from the stench, and they were awfully hungry. Remus' stomach let out a loud growl as well and Hermione giggled.

Shushing them both, Tonks gestured for everyone to get into their lineup and they did so, crossing the rest of the courtyard and entering into one of the side corridors. The fighting had spread there as well, although no bodies remained to be seen; only blasted mortar and blood.

The group crept cautiously down the hall, Remus stopping at every corner and giving the 'all clear' signal before they could move again. Hermione was gazing desolately at what was once her home. The last time she had been in it, it had been full of students, all heading down to breakfast or to classes… complaining about finals and gossiping about the most obscure things.

Now, her home had been destroyed. All because one evil wizard had to come back and try to take over the world. The portraits had all fled or been destroyed, the canvases slashed and torn. The staircases were still moving though, they discovered as they stepped onto one. Unfortunately, it moved very loudly.

If no one had known they weren't there before, they definitely knew now, as the stairs only seemed to move when someone stepped on them; all the other flights above and below were silent.

"Go, go, go," Tonks whispered urgently, the group racing as fast and as quietly as they could up the staircase and into the hallway above. All waited with bated breath in fear that someone was there. After a few minutes, Tonks nodded her head. "Let's go."

xxx

"Someone's here," he said, voice shaking. His dark brown eyes, filled with worry, met the calm gaze of ocean blue.

"Should we go investigate?" his compatriot asked, shifting slightly in the bed next to his.

"I dunno," he answered, glancing worriedly at the oaken door that led into the chamber, tightly closed with another bed dragged in front of it. "But if we did, I'd be the one investigating. You're staying here."

"I want to come too! It's not that dangerous; maybe they're friends."

"You're injured," he pointed out, gesturing at the bandages wrapped around the figure's middle. "And you really shouldn't be moving, we did a lot of work yesterday."

"But if they're friends, then it would be best to greet them," the blonde said quaintly. "Their stay should be as nice as possible. Oh, I know! Let's make some of that tea we found!"

Face met palm. "We don't even know if they're Death Eaters or not!" Taking a deep breath he continued, "I'm going to go try and see who they are. Don't worry, I'll take the cloak. You stay here; if anything happens just scream. You have your wand, right?"

"You should have it." Pale hands held out the stick of wood and the first speaker shook his head. "No. The Invisibility Cloak should be more than enough. I'll be back in… fifteen minutes at the most. If I don't show, then hide. I'm sure whoever it is isn't here to look in every nook and cranny for people."

"Be careful. I don't… Just, be careful." The wand was tucked behind the second speaker's ear.

He smiled and grabbed the Invisibility cloak from the top of the chest next to him. "Be back soon."

xxx

"I can't believe there's still stuff in here," Hermione said excitedly, her voice still low. The group had made it safely to the Infirmary with no Death Eaters charging them or anyone else in sight. The shelves had been toppled and the beds slashed, but many of the bottles were still intact and even with labels.

Bill set Draco gently down on one of the beds (even the pillows were there!) and began to pick up potion bottles that had survived. The others filed suit, placing all of the bottles they found in the empty knapsack of Lupin's that had housed the food before. They would go over the bottles once they had found someplace to rest and something to eat.

"Skele-gro," Tonks chuckled, holding up the poisonous green colored bottle. "I doubt any of us will need it for re-growing, but in small amounts it can heal broken bones. I'm pretty sure it'll come in handy."

"I really don't want to break any bones," Bill muttered, but took the proffered bottle and stuck it in the bag. A few minutes later all of them sat back and gazed around the room.

"I can't believe we're really here," Hermione said. "That we've actually made it this far."

"I'm just glad no one has attacked us yet," Lupin said wryly. "And I'll be even happier if we can find some food. I have a craving for meat… lots of meat."

The group exchanged glances. "When exactly is the next full moon?" Bill asked, glancing out the window at the still blue sky.

"Um…no idea?" Tonks said with a sheepish shrug of her shoulders. "There should be a calendar around somewhere though."

"Three days," Lupin said, nodding sagely. "I always keep track of the moon, no matter what the circumstances. Don't worry, if we're still here I'll just go visit the Shrieking Shack. Unless of course you think there might still be some of that draught Snape made up for me…"

"I doubt there's any left," Tonks said sadly. "We can check his stores later though; he might have kept a bottle or two handy. For now though, let's go find some food."

"Should we all go down?" asked Remus. "Draco would do better staying here and not moving… one of us could stay behind while the rest go look for food."

"I'll stay," Hermione volunteered. She didn't honestly want to wander around the castle anymore… not when all of her good memories were destroyed by the obvious signs of what had occurred. "I'll just read some of the potions and see if any of them will help Draco any," she said.

Tonks looked uneasy. "Someone is here," she said, "and I think it would be best if two people stayed here with Draco- you're trapped in here if someone were to come and you'll need more defense while we'd have an entire castle to run through. Bill, you stay here and hold onto my wand. Remus and I will go get food, and come back up here, and then we'll decide where we'll stay."

"Gryffindor Tower," Hermione said before the two had turned to go. "Weren't we all Gryffindor? I'd feel… I want to go back to my bed… our house colors… the place where we all grew up."

"I was actually in Hufflepuff," Tonks said brightly. "But Gryffindor works for me. It has a good vantage point too; we'll be able to keep tabs on what's going on outside."

Lupin nodded. "That's settled then. I too would like to see Gryffindor again. It's also the most likely place we'll find any of your things, Hermione. We'll be back shortly, the two of you just hang tight here."

Leaving quietly, the room was silent in a few seconds as both Gryffindors sat down heavily on beds facing one another. "You okay, Bill?"

The redhead gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Yeah," he said softly after a few seconds. "I just… I wish I could have done something to stop this. If I'd been taken to Voldemort… well, maybe Ron or George would still be alive. I'd have done anything to have kept them safe."

Hermione moved from her bed to put her arms around Bill. "At least you're still here for Fred and Ginny," she said quietly. "And everyone else who is going to need an older brother after all this. Once all this stupid fighting is over, we'll give them a huge memorial service and everyone is going to come and honor how wonderful your family was."

He smiled wistfully. "They'd all really like that."

Mirroring his smile, Hermione patted the bag next to her. "Shall we start going through these then?"

xxx

He was taking the back staircases. They were farther, out of the way, and pretty inconvenient, but at least they didn't move and give away his location. But damn, he was exhausted running all over the place.

Thanks to the Invisibility Cloak he wasn't too worried that if he did stumble into a room where the intruders were he'd be able to get right back out. But so far he hadn't found anyone. He'd searched the whole lower level, and every corner of the Great Hall. He'd paraded up and down the staircases and poked his head into classrooms, but there was still no sign.

He'd even checked Ravenclaw Tower, and he would have checked the other dormitories besides his own, but he didn't even know how to get in or where to find them. His unease was starting to ebb though… if there had been Death Eaters they wouldn't be sneaking around and being quiet, right? They'd be blowing things up and desecrating the building even more.

Pausing, he ran a hand through his black hair and took a moment to think. Let's say that they were other refugees. Where would they most likely go first? Well, the kitchen was a good bet if they were hungry… if they even knew how to get there. Assuming they didn't maybe the Hospital Wing? In case someone was injured… and everyone knew where the Hospital Wing was.

His heart pounded anxiously as he climbed up another flight. Now that he could think that there might be other refugees…. There were people just like him! Others who had gotten away! Maybe they had a plan and he and his friend could help out. Or if they didn't, they could at least all spend time just talking to one another.

His heart almost did stop as he neared the door to the Infirmary and heard the gentle clink of potion bottles and the soft murmur of voices. Tiptoeing forward, he peeped around the doorframe and his eyes widened.

Not Death Eaters at least. There was a figure lying on one of the beds farthest from him, and two people, their backs to him, were going through an assortment of the potions. The girl's bushy brown hair was curling slightly at the ends and hung about mid back. The other person had long red hair, almost as long as the first girl's… he wasn't sure, but the redhead appeared to be male; having thicker hands as he saw them holding bottles.

They weren't aware of him. That was good. He took a few more hesitant steps into the room, edging closer and closer to the pair.

"Hair growth potion," the girl said with a chuckle. "I think we can toss this one."

"I'd like mine cut, actually," said the other person, his voice definitely masculine. "It's getting so I can't even see anymore."

"But you always liked your hair long," the girl teased. "Your mum was always badgering you to cut it."

"That was different," he argued. "It was only shoulder length. This… this is a monstrosity. And it's so greasy," he whined, and the newcomer wondered if he'd gotten the gender mixed up again.

"Well, there's probably some running water around here… I would love a hot bath. Maybe the Prefect tub is still intact… those bubbles would be nice for once."

"Never took you for a girly-girl, Hermione," the redhaired young man laughed and the boy stiffened.

"I am not! I just want a nice bubble bath. Draco would side with me."

"Well, he's a girly-boy."

"Take that back!"

"Nyah," he said sticking out his tongue.

The boy tuned out the ensuing argument and simply stared. Hermione. Hermione Granger. She was alive…She was okay. She had someone with her. She would have a plan.

He started forward and then remembered he had the cloak on still. The last thing he wanted to do was startle them; the guy looked like he packed a decent punch. Silently, he pulled it off and held it bunched in his hands. His heart was once more pounding and he could feel his throat growing tight.

"Hermione," he breathed, staying at his spot a few feet from the two.

Both figures whipped around, Hermione's mouth forming a small 'o' of surprise that morphedf into a huge smile a split-second later. "Dean!" she exclaimed, jumping up from her spot on the floor and all but tackling him with her hug.

He squeezed her back with as much enthusiasm, not even bothering to hide the tear that had made its way down his face. Glancing at the other figure over Hermione's shoulder, he realized at once it was a Weasley. Or at least someone who looked exactly like a Weasley should: The red hair, freckles, and very vibrant blue eyes (although some of the Weasleys did have brown).

"What are you doing here?" she asked, arms still wrapped tight around him. Not waiting for an answer she said, "I'm so happy to see you! I can't believe it! We thought there might have been Death Eaters but it's you! I can't believe it!"

"I can't believe it's you either," he said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Bill, this is Dean Thomas. Dean, Bill Weasley."

"It's nice to meet you," the black boy said, stepping out of the embrace and holding out his hand, which the Weasley took with a firm shake.

"Have you been here the entire time?" Hermione asked, dragging Dean over to one of the beds and forcing him to sit down.

"Yeah, me and Luna," he said. "Oh! Shoot. I gotta go tell her, she'll be panicking… well, not panicking but probably a little worried…"

"Luna?" Hermione cut in. "Luna's here? But…" she trailed off, eyes distant. "I saw her at the battle… she…"

"It's quite a story," Dean said with a wry grin, "But she's alive. Hurt, though. And we can't figure out how to heal her."

Hermione nodded. "Draco too. We don't know what kind of poison was used."

"Draco? Draco Malfoy?"

"Yeah," she said, gesturing at the figure lying on the bed, who Dean could now recognize due to the silvery-blond hair and pale skin. "He was hurt really badly, and he's been unconscious for a while now. We're hoping we can find something here that'll help.

"But enough of this. Let's go get Tonks and Remus so we can go visit Luna! I can't believe she's here too!" she said, clapping her hands in delight. "You know Tonks and Remus, don't you? Well, Tonks is an auror and Remus is Professor Lupin."

As if on cue, the auror and werewolf walked in, both lugging a bag of what they could all only assume to be food. Both came to a complete standstill when they saw the new arrival, but snapped out of it relatively quickly.

"Dean Thomas," Lupin said with a pointed grin, his canines having grown slightly longer from the last time Hermione had seen him. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

"You too, Sir," Dean replied, shaking another hand.

"Please, call me Remus. I sound so old otherwise."

"I'm Tonks," the pink-haired woman said. "Nice to meet ya."

"Luna is here too!" Hermione gushed, nodding. "We need to go stop in and let her know we're here and that Dean hasn't been abducted by Death Eaters."

"Sure thing," Tonks smiled. "And we got quite a lot of food, so we'll have a feast tonight. Where are we headed?"

"Gryffindor Tower. We set up the boys seventh year room as our place…it's still relatively intact and we have a nice vantage point of the grounds."

"Ooh, I like this one," Tonks said, ruffling Dean's hair, although she had to stand on tip-toe to do so. "He's got auror blood in him."

"Let's head up and get something to eat. We have a lot to talk about," Bill said, gently picking up Draco in his arms as Hermione took the potions bag.

"Let me carry that," Dean said, taking the bag from Hermione. "You get this," he said, thrusting the Invisibility Cloak into her arms.

"Where did you-?"

"The Death Eaters really didn't loot around much. And well, we all knew Harry had an Invisibility Cloak and it'd have been a foolish move not to have used it. Since you're his best friend, you should have it till you can get it back to him."

Hermione faltered, and Dean blanched, afraid he'd said something wrong. "Thanks, Dean," she said softly, rubbing the satin material against her cheek. "But…" she stopped and then said, "We'll tell you later. Let's hurry and go see Luna."

The group made their way upstairs via the back hallways, just because the grinding of the staircases was a little intimidating. Walking down the final hall to the Gryffindor Tower, Hermione stared sadly at the ruined portraits and tapestries she used to walk by everyday. Even the Fat Lady was gone, the opening into the tower hanging into the corridor.

She clambered carefully in, the others piling in after her while Dean pulled the door closed from inside the Common Room. The place was untouched, much to everyone's surprise. The banners still hung from the walls, the squishy armchairs were in place by the fireplace

"How is it still so nice?" Hermione asked, gazing around the red and gold room with a longing that obviously showed how much she wished she was still a student here and nothing had changed.

"All of the Gryffindors left to fight," Dean said, fierce pride in his voice. "So the Death Eaters never got into the room at all because the Fat Lady ran once everyone was out. And everyone's stuff was left alone."

"You mean…?"

"Yeah, all your stuff is still in your room."

Then, with a bellow Dean yelled, "LUNA! I'M BACK!" As an afterthought he added, "Don't move though! I'll be right up!"

Snickering, Dean held a finger to his lips and motioned for them all to follow him. He paused them outside of the seventh year boy's dorm and walked in.

"Did you find any guests for tea?" came the soft, whimsical voice Hermione had grown to know over the last few years.

"I did find a couple, yeah," Dean replied back. "Do we have… five extra mugs?"

Not waiting anymore, Hermione dashed into the room. "Luna!" she cried, all prepared to launch into another hug. But the bloodstained bandages wrapped around the girl's stomach stopped her and she settled for a gentle embrace.

"Hermione," the Ravenclaw smiled, wrapping her arms gently about Hermione as well. "It is lovely to see you. Ah, Professor Lupin too!"

"Remus," the werewolf corrected, going over and giving the girl's shoulder a squeeze. "I'm glad to see you, Luna."

"Me too," she smiled dreamily. "I was beginning to think it was just Dean and I."

Bill had come in now too and set Draco gently down on a bed across from Luna. "Bill Weasley," he introduced himself. "And this is Tonks," he gestured at the auror.

"Wotcher, Luna."

"I'll go brew some of that tea," Dean said, going into the trunk at the foot of his bed and emerging with a bag of it.

"Where are you going to do that?" Hermione asked.

"Fireplace," he said with a grin. "The chimney is still charmed to dispel smoke and we have a ton of wood. And we found a tea kettle in the kitchen, so we're in business. I'll be back in just a few minutes. Maybe some of you would want to haul down two extra beds?"

"Bill and I will see to that," Lupin said. "Be back in a bit."

All of the males left the room, leaving the three girls and a sleeping Draco. "How're you feeling, Luna?" Hermione asked, glancing down at the bandaging. "That looks like it hurts."

"It does a little," she said. "But Dean and I are trying to heal it… just none of the potions work, and we don't even know what it is. But it really isn't too bad. Draco Malfoy looks much worse."

"He is," Tonks said with a sigh. "We're hoping we can find a potion here to help him."

She smiled. "I'm sure you will. Madam Pomfrey always had the best potions. I liked the one that tasted like chocolate pudding… Dean and I couldn't find it though."

Tonks chuckled and then let out a loud yawn. "My goodness, I'm exhausted," she proclaimed, flopping backwards on the bed. "How's about after tea we all take a short nap? Then we can catch up on everything."

Luna nodded. "Dean and I were sleeping when we heard you all come in. I would like to go back to my nap; I'm very tired."

Within minutes, Dean had entered the room with a pot of tea and Bill and Remus had hauled up two more beds from the sixth year's dormitory. Putting a shelving unit in front of the door, the group all situated themselves on three of the beds and sat in pleasant silence, drinking the hot tea. It was a real luxury after having eaten only cold food for the last few days.

And then, they all began to nod off, Luna falling asleep first with Hermione following second, lying across the foot of Luna's bed. Bill and Tonks fell asleep on another bed, Tonks taking up most of it and Bill curled up at the head. Dean fell asleep on his own bed with Lupin having the energy to move to a new bed and flop out on it.

They had best dream their pleasant dreams for as long as they could. For all too soon the nightmares would return.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes: **

And again, if you could please review that'd be really awesome. Seriously. It makes me feel better when I update for people who I appreciate what I do rather than those who don't.

Did anyone guess who the mysterious characters were before I announced their names? There were a few clues based on their actions, dialogue, and my 'descriptions' of them. Just curious.

Please review. Or I'll set a herd of elephants on you. :p


	18. This Story Has Never Had an End

**Disclaimer: This is the last disclaimer I'm putting up, as you all hopefully know by now I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Black is Our World**

**This Story Has Never Had an End**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_Something isn't right  
I can feel it again feel it again  
This isn't the first time  
That you left me waiting  
Sad excuses and false hopes high  
I saw this coming still I don't know why  
I let you in_

_I knew it all along  
You're so predictable  
I knew something would go wrong (something's always wrong)  
So you don't have to call  
Or say anything at all  
So predictable (so predictable)_

_Everywhere I go  
Everyone I meet  
Every time I try to fall in love  
They all want to know why I'm so broken  
Why am I so cold  
Why I'm so hard inside.  
Why am I scared  
What am I afraid of  
I don't even know  
This story's never had an end  
I've been waiting  
I've been searching  
I've been hoping  
I've been dreaming you would come back  
But I know the ending of this story  
You're never coming back  
Never...never…never...never..._

_--Predictable; Good Charlotte_

_xxx_

_xxx_

_Pain nearly blinded him, but he forced his eyes open only to shut them with a snap a second later. Everything was so bright… had he looked directly at Seamus' wand again when he was practicing his sparkler trick?_

_Screaming sounded off to his left, and then to his right while colored lights flickered in his vision even with his eyes tightly closed. He fisted his hands beneath him, surprised to find himself pulling on grass. Cautiously opening his eyes once more, he focused on the green life beneath his hands and slowly tried to think of what he would be doing outside with screaming people._

_The yell of 'Avada Kedavra' made him remember quite quickly and he snapped his head up in alarm, vision going in and out with the sudden movement. Blurry shapes assaulted his eyes, dark robed wizards and then the lighter colored ones from the ministry. _

_Searing pain struck him as he tried to push himself to his feet and he fell back with a grunt, hand going to his chest where the pain had originated. To his surprise and horror, it came away sticky with blood._

_A hole. He had a hole in his upper torso. It extended through his left shoulder and out the other side, while a huge, gaping incision had been cut across his chest. It was a wonder he hadn't died; it must have just missed his heart. _

_The battle was beginning to end, he realized, kneeling there on the ground, but not in favor of his side. More and more masked figures were beginning to rise up amongst the backdrop of the burning castle. With a jolt of panic, the boy realized he didn't have his wand on him any longer. _

_Patting frantically around on the ground, he looked for it, but no luck at all. And in the next few minutes the sound of battle slowly started to die until there was no noise at all. And then, a cheer. A loud, evil cheer where the name 'Voldemort' was chanted over and over again._

_A cold voice, cruel and commanding spoke. "The battle is not over yet. Go through the bodies and kill anyone who remains alive. If you find someone who would work well at the camps, for either means, spare them._

"_If you find any spare wands, take them. Just remember that as soon as we report back to our lord, the spell barrier is going up. Make sure to get your wand registered, or else it will show up on the grid and unless you feel like being killed for your foolishness you will do as I tell you."_

_His heart racing, the black boy lay face down on the ground, eyes squinted tight while tears gathered. He was going to die. And it wasn't going to be heroically in the fight. It'd be after, while he cowered in fright and pain. But without a wand and barely able to move it wouldn't make a difference if he jumped up. Although maybe he wouldn't die a coward._

_Telling his body to leap up and perform its last act, he couldn't. It hurt too much. So he lay there, sprawled out on the blood-soaked ground and waited for a pair of footsteps to come closer and end his life. It would be better to die anyway… if Voldemort had won, his future wasn't looking too promising._

_A crunching to his left made him tense and he clenched his fists, wishing his wand was on him. He would take out at least one Death Eater with him then. _

"_Look at this one," said a voice, and then the boy felt his body move as a boot caught him in the ribs. Barely biting back a gasp, he kept his body as still as possible. "Hole through the back. Looks like Marlin's work, huh?"_

"_Yeah. Poor bloke, it had to hurt a lot." A second later, both men burst into laughter and Dean felt himself freeze in a mix of relief and resentment. "Come on, let's head back. We just took over all of the wizarding world, we deserve some really heavy spirits."_

_Chuckling, they moved away and the Gryffindor let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Within minutes, the distinct sound of popping as the Death Eaters apparated away filled the bloody battleground, until only the harsh whisper of the wind remained._

_He kept his face pressed into the ground and his body still for another hour. He wasn't sure if there was a Death Eater waiting to see if anyone would pop up. Slowly and cautiously raising his head, the boy glanced around him. The grounds were empty as far as he could see of living people._

_And only then did it click just how many had died. His stomach rebelled and emptied its contents from breakfast on the ground and he gagged, the putrid stench of burning flesh, blood, and death washing over him as the wind picked up. _

_Stumbling to his feet, he took one step before he tripped over a body and went down with a cry. Stomach heaving and pain blossoming in fresh torrents he stayed slumped on the ground, tears coursing down his cheeks._

_Everyone was dead. The battle was over. Voldemort won. People had died. Lots of people had died. He was alone. So utterly, utterly alone. And now he was going to die. Alone. A coward's death._

_Gasping for air, he coughed up blood instead, the sticky substance standing starkly out on his dark skin. His body shuddered and he felt the blood bubble up his throat once more, dribbling out over his lips. _

_Using the last of his strength, he rolled onto his back and gazed up at the sky, still blue with puffy clouds hanging on the light breezes. _"Is this how it feels to die?" _he thought, gazing into the endless azure abyss. _"It should be raining. It shouldn't look like this."

_A sudden shadow fell across his face and he craned his neck backwards, eyes widening in horror. Someone, he couldn't tell who, stood above him. Blood dripped from the person and droplets landed on his face. Followed by another and another._

"_The sky does not weep," the person said, voice weak and shaking. "Neither should we. Get up, Dean Thomas. It's not our time."_

_The voice was familiar… vaguely. But he couldn't find the energy to summon himself to move. The figure sighed and placed a wand against Dean's chest._

"_N-no," he gurgled, brown eyes pleading ."T-there's a barrier… they'll t-track… you."_

"_You're going to die then."_

"_W-well… there's n-not much…left t-to live f-for," he said weakly, closing his eyes again. _

"_Wit without measure is man's greatest treasure. If you leave now, then I'm afraid you're going to take my greatest treasure, since there will be no one to share it with."_

"_L-Luna?" he coughed, recognizing the verse the Ravenclaw girl loved to quote._

"_You're going to live," she said, dropping to her knees beside him. "I will not allow one more person to die while I can only watch."_

_She dug into her badly tattered robes and came out with a small bottle, which she quickly uncorked. "Drink this."_

"_W-what?"_

"_Blood Weed potion," she said matter-of-factly. "It clots blood and should stop your internal injuries from bleeding you dry. Drink it."_

"_You?" he asked, staring at the gaping wound that covered almost her entire stomach._

_She shrugged and glanced up at the sky. "Poison. It won't work. I'll probably die in a few minutes. But at least you will live."_

"_You… you c-can't leave me h-here alone!" he all but shouted, coughing deeply a second later as Luna tipped the potion into his mouth and forced him to swallow. _

"_Then help me," she whispered, dropping the bottle to the ground, before falling next to it, pale hair streaming around her like a halo. _

_In a few seconds after the girl collapsed, Dean could feel the potion working. Already the pain in his chest was lessening and he could almost feel himself being stitched up from the inside. Risking a look down, he noted that the injury was still there, but it was no longer a hole and the blood had stopped leaking out._

_Still, he was gravely injured. But his death was no longer as imminent as the Ravenclaw's. Scrambling to his feet, Dean ignored the lightheadedness and the sudden dizzying pain and instead hoisted Luna into his arms. Taking a staggering step, he started for the castle._

_It felt like years, but only minutes later he reached the front door, only having fallen eight times over bodies. His legs were shaking with exertion and fatigue as he stumbled into the building, more death to be seen. _

_Doing his best to ignore the bodies, he started up the stairs and towards the Hospital Wing, glancing down at the girl in his arms._

_Her face was paler than normal, a streak of half-dried blood tracing her cheek. Her eyes were squinted shut and a sheen of sweat had covered her brow. Cuts and scrapes lined her arms where her robe had been torn off, but still most disturbing was the gaping wound on her stomach. It was still leaking blood despite the fact it had been there for a long time. The edges of it were tinged a light green… definitely poison._

_Not knowing how he ever managed, Dean reached the Hospital Wing and set Luna down on one of the beds. The place wasn't in utter ruins, but it had been damaged, blood spilt on the ground and several shelves and beds overturned, with huge gashes in the stone and beds from stray or dodged spells. _

_Unfortunately, Dean had never been that great of a student in Potions. He gazed helplessly at the myriad of bottles, not even knowing if one would help. He shook Luna's shoulder hesitantly, hoping she might wake up and direct him. But she didn't stir, not even moaning as her body was jarred slightly._

_Poison… well, wasn't there some universal cure for it? Dean wracked his brains, remembering the incident back in sixth year potions when Harry had used a stone of some sort to negate a poison. A beetle stone? No… it started with a 'b' though, he was sure of it. Would that work on Luna?_

_Anxiously he began to examine the shelves, looking for the stone. Pausing, he had an epiphany- didn't Madam Pomfrey organize alphabetically? Slightly calmer, he moved to the first shelf, it fortunately not having been knocked over. Going down to the 'b' level he scanned the bottles there until he landed on one labeled 'Bezoar'._

_Taking the box he flipped it open to reveal a small stone, that had the shriveled appearance of a kidney. Sadly, it was lacking any directions of how to apply it. Did he place it on the wound? Or did she have to swallow it? Maybe just touch it?_

_He went back over to the bed and placed the stone in Luna's hand. After waiting a few seconds and nothing happened he took it out and popped it into her mouth. About to remove it again, he stopped as he noticed Luna's slight shaking start to stop, as well as color returning to her cheeks. _

"_It worked?" he whispered, not daring to believe. Luna stirred moments later and offered a groggy smile to Dean._

"_See?" she murmured, closing her eyes again. "I knew you could do it."_

"_You're still bleeding really badly," he said, removing the stone from her mouth and examining the wound. "I found some more of that Blood Weed potion you had… it should do the trick."_

_He returned to Luna after grabbing the bottle and his eyes widened. She was shivering again and the tinge had returned. "L-Luna?"_

"_Where's the stone?" she gasped, clutching at her stomach._

_Quickly he stuffed it back in her mouth and watched as she relaxed again. "That doesn't look too good," she said, sucking on the stone. _

"_You think?" Dean snorted, heart still racing. "Do you think the Blood Weed will still work?"_

"_I don't think we should seal up the wound if the poison is still there," she said calmly. "I'll have a little sip to slow the bleeding though… but I don't want to trap the poison inside of me. Then I really would die."_

"_What do we do?" Dean asked, watching as she took a slight sip of the potion. "Have you ever heard of something like this before?"_

"_Nope," she said brightly. "I wonder if it's because I was paralyzed for so long…"_

"_What?"_

"_Well, you see… I was hit with the _Cruciatus Curse_ at the same time as a Paralyzing Curse and also at I think about the same time as someone stabbed me with something… probably a poisoned weapon. And because it all happened at once my body froze up. It didn't start allowing me to move till I found you, really. And I guess the poison was slow-acting because I was paralyzed…if I hadn't been hit with that I probably would be dead right now."_

"_And this is better?"_

"_I'm alive. I guess I'll just have to suck on the Bezoar for the rest of my life."_

"_You'll choke on it at some point," Dean said. "Especially when you sleep. Couldn't we powder it down or something and you can drink it in a tea?" _

"_That would be nice," she said, gingerly sitting up and wincing. "For now though, this is fine. I'm still alive, and that's what matters."_

"_You really need to be bandaged up. I do too."_

"_Yes, we do," she said, removing her outer robe. Her white shirt barely covered the rest of her decently, leaving her entire midriff exposed. "I got caught on the tail-end of an explosion spell," she said, noticing Dean's sudden blush, "and I guess I'm lucky I didn't sustain any major burns. Why don't I bandage you first? That looks quite painful."_

"_So does yours," he said, moving back to the cases and returning with a roll of bandages and some disinfectant cream Pomfrey always kept on hand in mass quantities. _

"_Oh, it's all right," she said, smiling brightly despite the obvious pain she was in. "Sit here," she said, patting a space on the bed next to her. "And get rid of the rest of your robe; it's almost gone anyway."_

_And so Dean found himself moments later with his torso bare and Luna leaning over him, carefully applying the blue cream and murmuring softly whenever he winced and tried to pull away. Her fingers ghosted over his skin and he shivered from the close proximity. _

_Bandages were wrapped around him and then again over and around his shoulder and arm. Small ones she plastered to his face and arms where he'd been nicked and bruised. "All done," she said a little while later, her voice weaker than it had been. "I'm just going to rest my eyes a bit, if you don't mind."_

_That was all the warning Dean got as she crumpled over and would have hit the floor if he hadn't caught her. Through it all, she managed to keep a grip on the stone in her mouth. _

_Dean grabbed the roll of bandages and looked at the girl, a blush rising up again as he gently lifted her badly burned shirt over her head, a stray button snagging on her hair and forcing him to yank for an extra few seconds. Averting his eyes (although she still wore her bra) he pulled her in front of him and began to slowly lather her in the same cream and then bind her in bandages. _

_Filling a small bowl with water, he came back and proceeded to wipe the smears of dirt from her skin, slowly blackening the water. Her wand had fallen out of her robe pocket when she took it off, so he placed it gently on the table next to the bed along with the single remaining radish earring that had miraculously survived and stayed on her ear. _

_As soon as he was sure she wasn't about to choke on the Bezoar, he smoothed her hair out and then went to barricade the double doors, pressing extra beds up against the massive oak. Once he was certain no one would be coming in (at least, not for a few seconds) he unsteadily walked back to a bed next to Luna's and climbed into it, out in just a few seconds. _

_xxx_

_When Dean awoke it was dark outside, and nearly pitch black in the room. Using the meager glow from the moon outside, he made his way over to the candle that sat on the desk at the end of the room. And then he felt insanely foolish._

_How was he going to light it? He couldn't use a wand. And as far as he was aware no one at Hogwarts used matches; even if they smoked they would just light up with their wands. _

"_Is something the matter?"_

_He jumped nearly a foot in the air, his heart racing before he placed the voice._

"_I dunno how to light the candle," he muttered, feeling utterly useless. _

"_You're a half-blood, aren't you?" she asked, blue eyes nearly glowing in the darkness. "Don't you have some way to light things?"_

"_Matches. But no one uses them here."_

"_Is that the only way? What did you do before these…matches… were invented?"_

_Dean thought. Obviously matches hadn't always been available. What had cavemen used? They had certainly had fire… without the aid of matches. "A rock?" he said, thinking. "Or maybe a piece of metal… they had sparks when they hit each other," he said, pondering back on the battle where both sides had used metal weapons._

"_There are lots of suits of armor lying around," Luna said. "Maybe if you hit them really hard against each other you'd get a spark."_

"_Yeah, but the chance it'll hit the candle is pretty much nil," the black boy said, shaking his head. "That'd have to be a really accurate spark."_

"_Maybe the fireplace then? It is getting a little chilly."_

_She was right. Despite the fact that it was almost June, the temperature had dropped significantly from earlier in the day. "Won't they see the smoke?" Dean asked._

_Luna shook her head. "I think Hermione and I were the only ones that read Hogwarts, A History. But it says in there that the chimneys are spelled to dispel smoke so it isn't noticeable. I'm sure they still work; the charms were placed when Hogwarts was first founded."_

_Dean nodded and examined the fireplace that was in the Hospital Wing. There were still logs in it, so for tonight they wouldn't have to worry about that._

"_You stay here," he said, pulling a blanket from another bed and draping it around Luna's shoulders. "I'm going to go find some armor and try and get some food from the kitchens. You'll be all right, won't you?"_

"_Oh, yes," she said smiling. "I have Me, Myself, and I for company while you're away."_

_Glad to see that Luna's odd sense of humor hadn't left her, Dean pulled the barricade away and then left, almost wishing he hadn't. It was even darker in the corridors as there were no windows on the inside halls and ominous blood puddles and bodies littered the walkway. _

"_Get food, get armor, get back," he chanted quietly to himself as he took off down the hall as fast as his injuries would allow and did his best to skirt around the corpses. He reached the kitchen in record time. At least, he hoped it was the kitchen; he'd never actually visited, but he'd heard about it from Harry and Ron. _

_A portrait with a bowl of fruit, strangely the only painting in the entire building that still had it's picture and not just an empty frame, was placed on the wall. Reaching out, he ran his fingers over the pair and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand as the pair giggled and then swung open. _

_The kitchen was empty, despite the stories of all the House Elves that worked there. Maybe they had apparated away when the battle had come? Opening the first cabinet he came to, the boy's eyes lighted up. Piled to the very top were boxes and boxes of food. Each cabinet revealed the same amount of food and behind a huge metal door was a refrigerated area that was kept cool using freezing charms. _

_Not quite feeling like cooking, Dean grabbed a box of crackers, a block of cheese and then some fresh-baked cookies from a cooling rack by the ovens. Dropping it all into a bag that was conveniently hooked outside the freezer, he grabbed two bottles of milk and then left, closing the door behind him. _

_Armor wasn't difficult to find at all. There were plenty of suits dotting the halls. It was just taking a piece of it that was proving to be tricky since he couldn't see the hinges and he really didn't want to make it clatter. Eventually he managed to pull of a helmet on one and the face plate on another, and then he high-tailed it back to the Hospital Wing._

_The only thing that had changed was Luna was lying back down, shivering from the cold. And it was no wonder, really only having the blanket around her torso. Barricading the door again, Dean dumped the food onto a third bed. "Let me get a fire started and then we'll eat," he said, kneeling slowly down in front of the fireplace. _

_His body was starting to protest his movements as he ripped up a sheet of blank parchment and tossed it onto the logs to provide a fire starter. And then, several pain-staking minutes later, a spark finally caught and a small fire began. Dean muscled one of the mattresses off the bed and plopped it down in front of fire, leaving it for a minute to slightly warm up, while he dumped the food next to it._

_Then, he went back to Luna and scooped the slender girl into his arms, her shivering having increased and her teeth chattering, an odd noise because of the stone she clenched in them. "You're freezing," he whispered, sitting down on the mattress and keeping Luna pressed against him, resting her on his lap._

"_J-just a little cold," she chattered, pressing her face against his bandaged chest. "I'll be fine… in a minute. The fire feels nice."_

_They sat quietly for a while, the fire having grown and started on the logs. "Hungry?" Dean asked, digging into the sack and emerging with the food. _

"_Yes… I just wonder how I'll chew with this stone." She popped it out of her mouth and stared at it. "I should be okay for a few minutes, right? I mean, I managed for about fifteen when you were looking for it. And I've been using it for the last few hours."_

"_We'll have to find a book or something about powdering it," Dean said. "For now, here." Luna gratefully took a bottle of milk and took a careful sip and then another. She simply nibbled on the crackers, ignoring the cheese that Dean happily ate. _

"_Mmm, you brought cookies," she said, leaning lightly against Dean and now chewing softly on the cookie. "Sugar… my favorite."_

"_What do we do now?" Dean asked, staring at the bright flames, dancing and chasing one another. "There's a whole stock of food, we could probably live here for years without a problem. But… I dunno, I feel useless."_

_Luna placed a pale hand on his dark one. "It'll be all right. Everything always works out in the end."_

"_This isn't homework or some little school thing, Luna," he said. "It's not just going to work itself out. You're really badly hurt and I'm not so good either. We lost, Luna. Voldemort won."_

"_We'll just do what we can," she said softly. "We lived, Dean. It means something. We're here for a reason, even if it isn't clear yet. For now though, we need to rest and regain our strength. And then… we can… can…"_

_It was the first time Dean had ever seen Luna at a loss for words as well as cry. Tears trickled down her cheeks to darken the blanket as they fell. _

"_We can bury the dead," she said, regaining her composure. "Make them gravestones and put them to rest. That's what we'll do, Dean. We'll honor those who gave their lives to try and protect humanity."_

_Dean nodded, tears springing to his own eyes as he held the girl close, chin nestled gently on her head. "Sounds good," he whispered. "What about the Death Eaters?"_

"_Leave them," she said, her voice cold. And then, softer she said, "We have a lot of our own to take care. Maybe… if there's time we can bury them. Not all of them went into the profession by choice, you know."_

"_I know… but, still…"_

_She bowed her head. "We'll treat our own first. And then we can put them all in a big hole together." On a different note she said, "I'd like to carve out little headstones for everyone. Maybe with a poem or something on the people we know."_

"_I think they'd like that," Dean smiled into her hair. "Come on, we need to get some more rest. Put the stone back in your mouth."_

_Once that was done, Dean shifted them so they were both lying on the mattress, Luna next to the fire and Dean a comforting presence behind her. With a free arm, he dragged the blankets he'd pulled off the other beds over them and tucked a pillow under Luna's head and then one under his own. _

"_Comfy?"_

"_Very," she grinned. "Good night, Dean."_

"_Night, Luna."_

_xxx_

_Three days passed from the battle and the two spent their time recuperating and regaining their strength. "We really do need to find a new place to sleep," Dean said on their fourth night. "I can think of many places that are more comfortable."_

"_One of the houses?" Luna asked, propped up on her throne of pillows and delicately flipping through a book on Bezoars the two had found in the vast library in the Infirmary. _

"_That's what I was thinking," Dean said. "Gryffindor might be good because it has a vantage point of the grounds…"_

_She nodded. "That sounds nice. I believe the Death Eaters got into Ravenclaw anyhow, so it might be a little torn up. Was Gryffindor untouched?"_

"_I think so. Dunno though. We can check it out tomorrow morning."_

"_That sounds lovely. I've always wanted to see Gryffindor anyhow."_

_xxx_

_Morning dawned quickly and after 'making' their bed in front of the fire, Dean helped Luna to fasten the blanket about her shoulders like a cape. And then he carefully picked her up, her legs still shaky and her body weaker than his. _

_They made it up to the hallway outside the tower relatively quickly and didn't encounter too many bodies to both of their relief. The Fat Lady had disappeared, just like every other figure in the portraits, but the door remained closed. Setting Luna gently down on the floor, Dean grabbed the edge of the frame and pulled. _

_To his surprise, it opened. "Guess without the Fat Lady here it'll just open," he muttered. "All right, let's go in." Scooping the Ravenclaw into his arms once more he entered and his mouth dropped. The room was untouched. A game of half-finished gobstones sat on one of the tables and several books and open parchments dotted the rest of the room (finals were in progress after all), but nothing was askew._

_Taking the stairs two at a time, Dean raced up towards his room and flung open the door. All five beds sat there, made except for Ron's. Hardly daring to breathe, he crossed the threshold and set Luna down on Seamus' bed. And then he collapsed on his own, the covers being bunched in his fisted hands. _

_Tears pricked his eyes as he recalled the last time he'd been in here. He had been yelling at Seamus to get his butt out of bed, they had their History of Magic final that morning and then Potions. The Irish teen had just begged for five more minutes, before Neville helped Dean pry him from the bed._

_Everything was exactly how he'd left it. A small clock still ticked on his nightstand and a picture of him and Seamus goofing off doing homework (he was flicking a quill at Seamus and in retaliation Seamus was preparing to thump him with a heavy looking textbook). The soccer poster hung on the wall next to the bed and a calendar with the words "SCHOOL ENDS" written in huge, bold print._

_Luna placed a comforting hand on Dean's shoulder and then stiffened when he pulled her into a gigantic hug, and after making herself not pressed so tight against him, she returned it as well. _

_A little while later, Dean had opened Harry's trunk and pulled out the Invisibility Cloak. "We may as well use it, right?" he asked, setting it on top of his own trunk. From his own he pulled out a fresh set of robes and clothes. "We should probably wash up and get changed. I'll help you over to the Sixth Year girl's rooms… you can probably use some of their clothes and then take a shower."_

"_Do you know if they have a bathtub?" Luna asked. "I'm not sure I can stand."_

_Dean shrugged. "No idea, but we can check." _

_The girl's bathroom did indeed have a bathtub. After filling it adequately, Dean told Luna he'd be back in about half an hour to carry her back. That done, he went back to his own room to take a long, hot shower and try to wash away the last few days._

_Luna herself settled comfortably in the tub, hissing lightly as the water hit her wounds. The blood and grime very nearly floated off and she watched in amazement, lifting a clean arm in the air a few minutes later. Giggling, she dunked her head and rinsed her hair, using some shampoo that had been left on the ledge; a lavender scented smell._

_Dean, true to his word, came back about half an hour later, just after Luna had finished getting dressed with an unknown girl's clothes that fit pretty well. She wore a pair of jeans and had grabbed a pair of sleep pants and a black skirt with a light jacket to wear later. A loose fitting tank top was on her now so that she didn't aggravate her wounds and so she could easily lift it up and change the bandages._

_The Gryffindor boy had dressed himself in jeans and a Gryffindor shirt; a gold lion roaring on the red material. It was an unspoken decision that they would stay in the seventh year boy's dorm… it felt like home to Dean and he needed the comfort it provided._

_Sharing a breakfast of bananas and blueberry muffins, the two outlined what needed to be done. They needed to dig graves first before they could put anyone to rest. Unfortunately, they couldn't use magic and it would take a long time. Longer even because Dean didn't want Luna digging and straining herself._

_So, they headed out later that afternoon towards the Quidditch pitch, which they decided would make the best gravesite; it was flat, virtually no obstructions, and the fighting hadn't extended that far. Dean had found shovels propped up on the side of Hagrid's hut and he went to work, Luna plotting out where the graves would go with a can of paint (Hagrid had been in the process of repainting his hut it appeared and he had had several cans of paint out)._

_The days passed like this, for about a week. During that time they had found several more Bezoar stones in Madam Pomfrey's store and had experimented by grinding up part of one and mixing it with Luna's tea. It turned out that if she drank about a half an ounce of Bezoar, she could last for five days before the symptoms returned. And if they continued at that rate, they'd be fine because they had a grand total of 32 ounces in Bezoars. Hopefully by the time they were close to running out she could go back to just sucking on it or the war would be over and a healer could take a look at her._

_Then came the hard part. Actually putting the bodies in the holes. They had decided ahead of time that they would try and put all the Hogwarts Teachers in one area and students in another, with the exception if they found family members that they recognized, like the Weasleys. Dean got to move the bodies, placing them on a tarp from Hagrid's yard and then dragging it across the ground to the grave. Luna had made little headstones for each, carving painfully slow and carefully into a rock with a knife from the kitchen. _

_They didn't cry, even when they found a familiar face. Their tears had dried during the first week; they had none left for even themselves. A prayer was simply said and some flowers Luna had picked (there were sporadic bunches around the lake) were set on the fresh mound of dirt. _

_And they had spent their days in their predictable routine for over three months. And then it was broken when a group of weary, but determined, wizards and witches showed up at Hogwarts._

_Someone had come back. Someone had returned._

_Maybe now their story would have a happy ending._

_xxx_

_xxx_

**Author's Notes: **

Yay, a new chapter! My twin has been bugging me to post it before she goes back to college, and since I've had a fun day today adn tomorrow is gonna be awesome, I figured why not. I hope you guys are awesome too and can review; I'd love to hit 40 for a chapter! Thanks to everyone who did review last time; I really appreciate each one and love reading them!

I hope you liked the chapter! I loved writing this; I love Dean and Luna. Not sure if they'll be 'together' or more of just really close friends after all is said and done. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter! Until next time! (oh, and this is being posted in just about a month and a half. For those of you complaining that that is too long, well you try holding down two jobs, being in college and having a life :P).

Every time you **don't review** another character **dies**. At this rate, only Kagami shall be left :whee: Keep that in mind before you click off this page without submitting a review. I'm serious. Deadly serious. Take that any way you like.


	19. Let Me Light up the Sky

**Black is Our World**

**Let Me Light Up the Sky**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_You're making a choice to live like this,  
In all of the noise I am silence,  
We already know how it ends tonight,  
You run in the dark through a firefight,  
I would explode just to save your life,  
I would explode. _

_Let me light up the sky,  
Light it up for you,  
Let me tell you why,  
I would die for you,  
Let me light up the sky. _

_I can't find a wall to pin this to,  
They're all coming down since I found you,  
I just want to be where you are tonight,  
I run in the dark looking for some light,  
How will we know if we just don't try,  
We won't ever know. _

_And it's still so hard to be who you are,  
But you've come this far,  
And you're broken. _

_--Light Up the Sky; Yellowcard_

_xxx_

_xxx_

Three days had passed. And they had been long, torturous days. The guards didn't bother to tell them what had happened to Blaise. They never uttered a word of his fate, even when Pansy begged and screamed at them.

Was he dead? They didn't think so, Marlin said they wouldn't kill him. But that didn't mean he wasn't in dire pain and suffering beyond what they could imagine. The only rumor they'd heard, and they weren't even sure as it was just from the guards murmurs to one another, was that Marlin and Bellatrix had been put in charge of Blaise. And that really didn't bode well for the Slytherin.

After his breakdown, Fred had pulled himself together again, doing his best to be strong for his sister and everyone else who needed someone to look up to. He was the oldest there, having just turned twenty that April, and although that was still young, he was going to step into the leadership role to the best of his ability.

Neville had told them about his parents and why he had reacted as such to Marlin's words. His parents, he'd said, had at least been treated afterwards and had been tortured for information and for a purpose. The same would happen to Blaise just for the Death Eater's sport and he would be denied any care when he returned.

The silence was stifling now, ever since Blaise had told them of their plight. They would die. Soon, by the sound of it. At least two of them would within the next few days, and then the others when they found Draco again. Some of them would still have a chance but the two unlucky ones… they would die and no one could do anything about it.

To try and take their minds of their impending death and what Blaise might be going through, Ginny, Pansy, and Hannah took turns reading aloud from the spell book they'd taken. And with each spell they recognized, there were stories to tell and laughs to be had.

They were all nibbling on their bread when heavy footsteps and muted bickering sounded down the hall. Ginny tucked the book under a pile of straw and they all sat tense. They had just been fed so no one was supposed to visit them until later that night when the lights would be shut off. It was at most seven in the evening, seeing as they'd just been fed and the guards seemed to keep a pretty tight schedule.

"We're still supposed to have a little longer," whined a female voice that made Neville shiver. "Why are we returning him now?"

"Because I want sleep," said a male voice, that they all recognized as Marlin.

"Just one more wouldn't have killed him," she griped. "I wanted to watch _Flammatra _again."

"You'll have plenty of time to play with the other prisoners later. Now, before I accidentally hex you, drop him and let's go."

The two Death Eaters came into view around the corner, Bellatrix dragging a very limp and bloody Blaise by the wrist. His clothes were all but gone; he was barely decent. His back was in ribbons and other parts of him were torn up from the whips as well. Stab wounds littered him and huge burns marred every inch of his pale skin while bruises literally covered him from head to toe.

Sneering, Marlin opened Draco's old cell, situated next to Pansy's, and Bella threw him in. "Night night, kiddies," she grinned, waving a slender hand. "I'll be back to play with you later."

As soon as both Death Eaters were out of sight, the group leapt to their feet, Pansy wringing her hands and leaning against the stone wall that separated her from Blaise. "Blaise?" she called, "Can you hear me?"

There was no response from inside and she bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. She remembered when Draco had come back from sessions… he had been so hurt and scared. But even what he had gone through looked mild compared to the state Blaise was in.

"Is he even awake?" asked Ginny, coming up and putting a comforting hand on Pansy's shoulder. "He might just be… knocked out, or something."

"His eyes are open," Fred said softly, looking at the vacant gaze of the dulled blue orbs. "But I don't think he's seeing anything."

Lavender nodded along with Fred, her hand over her mouth in horror at what the Slytherin had gone through. Not that they had expected any less, but still… As they watched, his body shuddered with a convulsion but his expression didn't change; a blank, hopeless stare and slightly parted lips where blood was dribbling out.

Neville came to stand next to Lavender and he almost physically recoiled as a shock ran through his body. He would recognize those eyes anywhere; they resembled his parents' until they had started reacting to the treatment at St. Mungo's, and even then the blankness had never fully gone away.

"Cruciatus," he muttered, a tear sliding down his cheek. "I don't think… I'm not sure he's…here…anymore."

But even as he said that Blaise's eyes focused for a second, zeroing in on Neville and Lavender, before going back to the dull blue.

"Did you…?"

"Yeah…"

"What? What happened?" Pansy asked frantically, pressing both hands up against the stone as if that would allow her to be closer.

"He… He looked at us," Lavender whispered. "It was like… his mind isn't gone yet."

"He focused on the two of you," Fred said. "Do you think it means something?"

"I can't think of anything," said Neville. "We still don't know him that well. If anything, Pansy would get through to him."

"How bad does he look?" Hannah asked quietly. Unlike the others, they had had only a brief glance at Blaise, and it was from a rather strange angle at that, so they hadn't been able to give their diagnosis.

"Really bad," Lavender said, hugging herself and staring at Blaise, the barely visible rise and fall of his chest the only indication he was still alive. "I hate to be pessimistic, but…"

"Don't say it," growled Pansy. "Blaise is strong. He's going to pull through this. You hear me?" she asked, turning her attention to the wall. "Don't you dare die, Blaise Zabini. Because if you do I'll… I'll…" she trailed off, a sob overtaking her words.

Neville was quite visibly shaken by what had happened, and collapsed on the far wall of his cell, still able to see the Slytherin though. He couldn't count the number of times he'd looked into his parents' eyes and seen that lost wandering in their gaze, and he hadn't ever wanted to see it in anyone else. But history always did seem to repeat itself after all.

"Are we just supposed to sit here and do nothing?" Ginny burst out, angrily kicking a pile of hay with her foot. "I know there's nothing we can do, but this bloody bites. At least Hermione and Draco are out there, trying to make a difference. And we're just stuck sitting on our bloody arses and we can't even help a friend right next to us! What are we doing here?" she cried, tears of frustration leaking down her freckled cheeks.

Hannah shook her head and put a placating hand on the redhead's shoulder. "We can't do anything right now except have faith and hope. Soon enough, we're going to get our chance and we're going to take it."

"It's been over a week since they got away, right?" Fred said. "They must have managed to figure something out."

"I think it's been nine or ten days, actually," Pansy said with a nod of her head. "Definitely more than a week."

"I hate to be a realist, again," Lavender sighed, "but we can't push all of this on Hermione and Draco. Yes, they were both heads and they're extremely talented. But they were both injured, weak, and they went off into the middle of nowhere. None of us even know what it looks like outside; are we even in England anymore?"

"She has a point," Neville said unhappily. "Neither of them have wands and it's not like we have any bearings of where we are. Unless they managed to find other refugees, or somehow acquired wands and a plan, there's not much that they can do either."

"You think someone else will break us out?" Hannah asked, plopping into a pile of hay with a heavy heart.

"I don't think anyone else knows where we are," Pansy said. "And even if they did, I'm assuming wherever we are probably screams 'Evil Wizards Here' or something. They wouldn't come and investigate it."

"Then we've got to start trying to find a way to get out. Blaise said they were going to kill us. Soon. And Blaise needs help…" Ginny stated, face grim. "We can't wait here without trying anything. Can't we figure out a way to knock out a passing guard or break through metal? Maybe work on getting these collars off?"

"Ginny's right," Neville said. "We have to do something too. We're never going to get out of here if we don't try. And if we don't get out of here, we're going to wind up dead."

"We have to think of something soon. Tomorrow, Marlin said he was coming back. And Blaise isn't going to last long at all. If we all put our heads together and try to think of something… anything. Trying to get the necklaces off should be our first goal, but also knocking a guard out."

"We already fooled them once with an easy trick," Fred said, nodding along to what Hannah had said. "They'll be more cautious now, but there's got to be something we have that'll make them suspicious."

"And then once we have the guard's wand, we can maybe try to get rid of these collars," Ginny grinned. "Finally, we're doing something. I just wish…" she bit her lip and glanced over at the stone wall into Blaise's cell. "…that it hadn't come to this," she finished in a whisper.

xxx

The day had passed by relatively quickly for those stationed at Hogwarts. Dean and Luna had shared their story after they had all awoken from their nap.

The others then shared theirs. Both Dean and Luna's faces had positively turned ghost white (a very hard feat for Dean) when they heard of both Harry and Ron's deaths. And even George's. Dean now understood why Hermione had frozen like that when he'd mentioned Harry. Sure, he and Harry and Ron had never been best mates, but he had lived in the same room with them for seven years and he would call them very close friends. How she was still functioning and not wallowing in grief was beyond him.

Then again, he had his own reasons to mourn. Just days ago he and Luna had found Seamus. His best friend. His body had been riddled with burns from curses and his eyes had been blank and staring. Some how, he had fallen next to the castle and in the shade, so his body hadn't been deformed by the sun . But he had cried for the first time in months when he'd found him. Hermione had lost both of her best mates and in a much more horrible way.

She had told them about her and Draco's animagus forms and both had been quite impressed. Draco got a quick recap, but she skimmed over much of it because they had much more to focus on. Bill explained the camps and Tonks and Remus told of how they'd been living in Grimmwauld and then found Draco and Hermione.

After sharing, they had decided to try and revive Draco. Inspired by the success Luna had had with the Bezoar they had taken one of the stones and given it to the Slytherin.

Alas, nothing had happened. Tonks had said dejectedly that Bezoars worked for _most_ poisons. Whatever Draco had was quite rare. Luna had startled the group with her insight into Draco's injury.

"_It's obviously affected by movement," she had said, her voice lilting. "You said he was fine when at Grimmwauld and he worsened on the trip where he was constantly being moved. I'm sure if he just rests a little and has some Pepper-up potion he'll perk up a bit more."_

The two had been hording quite a bit of Pepper-up potion and a dose was quickly given to Draco, who had slept through their nap and also their recapping of the past months. Tonks had rewrapped his bandages and placed a cold washcloth on his head. They were all hoping he would wake up soon.

"So, where did all of the portraits go?" Hermione asked, as the group was all gathered on a circle of beds and nibbling on crackers. "I noticed that they were all gone."

Dean shrugged. "We're not really sure. The Pear picture to get into the kitchens is still there, but any figure has vanished. The ghosts aren't anywhere either. Which doesn't really make sense because all the charms and whatnot are still in place for the most part."

"It isn't the most troubling of matters though," Luna said, reclining against a mound of pillows. "We've had much more important things to focus on."

"That's true," Hermione conceded. "I guess it doesn't really matter. We should be grateful the charms still work."

"And there's running water," Dean grinned. "And a lot of food. You guys can have some hot baths while you're here."

"Speaking of here," Lupin said, rubbing a hand wearily over his face, his canines quite sharp now, "we have to decide how long we're going to stay. We need to keep moving."

"Where are you going?" the black boy asked. "Do you guys have a plan?"

Hermione gave a nod. "Sort of. We have a prophecy that we think might lead us to Dumbledore. And Remus said that Dumbledore has another prophecy that will tell us how to defeat Voldemort. It's our best bet right now anyways."

"We're coming with you," Dean said, Luna nodding serenely from her pillow throne. "We can help. But… we can't leave yet. Not for a few more days."

"We haven't finished burying everyone," Luna said quietly, noticing the questioning eyes. "And we're not leaving until at least all of our side is."

Tonks bowed her head. "Are you in any condition to travel, Luna?"

"I'll be all right," she said with a smile. "As long as I can ride a broomstick or something."

"We've got horses," Bill said with a grin. "And there's gotta be a few brooms around here."

"I have mine," Dean said, "from when I played Chaser. And…" he paused. "Harry and Ron have their brooms here too. I'm sure we can use them. I wish we could use the others, but the broom shed caught fire during the battle and only the seventh years had their brooms in their rooms."

"Could we go visit the graves?" Bill asked quietly after a minute. "It's still light out."

Dean and Luna exchanged looks and then the boy gave a nod. "Yeah… if you want, we can go pick some flowers by the lake first… we haven't put any on the older graves for a few days."

"What about Draco?" Hermione asked, casting her eyes over at the Slytherin. "What if he wakes up?"

Normally someone would volunteer to stay with no question, but what they were about to do was a very personal and important event. No one wanted to be left behind. And now that they believed the poison worsened based on movement, the less of it there was the better.

"We'll just leave a short note," Lupin said. "Dean, do you have any parchment?"

Rummaging in his trunk, Dean retrieved a roll and a quill, that Lupin took with a soft 'thanks' and quickly wrote a message.

"Can we make graves for Harry and Ron and George?" Hermione whispered, hands clasped in her lap. "I know there aren't any bodies, but…"

"Yeah," Dean said, placing a comforting hand on his fellow Gryffindor's shoulder.

Within minutes, coats had been shrugged on and after placing the note underneath Draco's hand, the group trooped out, Luna getting a piggy back ride on Bill despite her protests that she could walk.

Outside, the sun was starting to set, but still shining brightly enough that they could easily see. Dean led the procession down to the lake where the abundance of flowers the group had spotted early seemed to glow in the sunset.

After picking a few bunches they made their way to the quidditch pitch. The field had been transformed. Rows and rows of graves had been erected, the ones closet to them just empty holes where the bodies would be placed. Painted outlines marked the area where more were to be dug. Small gravestones marked the location of who was buried where, although several were blank. Mostly ministry and aurors who hadn't had an ID on them.

Dean picked his way through the rows and stopped in front of a large patch of grave makers, students tags hanging off the gravestones. "These are all the Hogwarts students so far," he said quietly, many still to be dug graves in the section. "The professors are right here," he said, gesturing to his right. "Aurors and ministry officials are towards the front. And any families we knew to look for are in the far north corner."

Bill took off immediately for that section and Hermione dropped down in front of McGonagall's grave. The women's infamous hat was perched on the mound, weighted down with several large stones on the brim. Hermione traced the gravestone lightly with her fingertips, tears pooling in her eyes.

She placed several flowers down and then began to make her rounds, pausing at each of her professor's gravestones. Snape's had a potion bottle placed on it and Flitwick had a feather, as well as "Swish and Flick" carved into the stone.

So many times she had seen them in the hallways, in class, sitting at the Head table. McGonagall's stern features that broke into a rare smile when one of her students did well. Snape's cruel sense of humor and dislike, but still wanted to see them all (except perhaps Harry and Neville) succeed. Flitwick's fun lessons that always kept them entertained and his bubbly personality.

The list went on and on. Professor Sprout with a small evergreen bush planted next to her. Sinistra with a star carved on her marker. Hooch with pieces of a broken broomstick. Filch with a small mound next to him for Mrs. Norris. Madam Pomfrey rested next in line, and Hermione whispered a prayer of thanks for the woman's medical supplies left behind. Pince was next to her, a stack of books piled on top.

And at the end of the teachers rested a larger than normal mound. "Hagrid," she whispered, resting her hand on the gravestone. Tears sprang to her eyes and she slumped down next to it. He had always been the one she could turn to when she couldn't talk to Harry and Ron. A cup of tea, a sage piece of advice, and just a shoulder to cry on. She had had to watch him die… he had gone out just like he would have wanted, in a blaze of glory. Fang, the ever loyal mastiff, had been placed next to him.

Sniffling, she glanced up to see where the rest of her group had gotten to. Luna and Dean were placing their flowers on what appeared to be some freshly dug ministry and auror graves. Lupin was sitting in front of Snape's gravestone, talking quietly with tears shining in his eyes.

Tonks was wandering amongst the auror graves, looking sadly down at Moody's. And Bill was kneeling on the ground, crying silently in front of a set of graves. Hermione rose to her feet and crossed over to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"P-Percy's dead too," he whispered, staring at the set of four graves all lined up in a row. Molly and Arthur lay side by side, and next them rested Charlie and Percy. A pair of cracked horn-rimmed glasses rested on the youngest of the Weasley's graves and a small figure of a dragon rested on Charlie's.

Tears pooled once more in her eyes as she stared at the oldest Weasley's graves. They had been like a second set of parents to her, and their home one she would always be welcomed at. Just thinking of that made her cry harder. Her own parents… she had no idea what had happened to them. Were they dead? Alive? Working at one of the camps?

"It'll be okay," she murmured softly, rubbing circles on his back. "No one else is going to go there," she said. "Ginny and Fred are going to be fine. We'll rescue them no matter what it takes."

He nodded and rubbed at his eyes. "I just… I feel like I should have done more. I'm the oldest… I'm supposed to watch out for all of them. I'm supposed to be the big brother… and I couldn't protect them at all."

"You're doing the best you can," she said softly. "You can't take the world on your shoulders, Bill. You have to stay strong for Fred and Ginny now, okay? They really need their older brother," she whispered, voice cracking with tears.

They all remained outside until the shadows lengthened and then almost faded as the sun sank beneath the hills. Bill had not budged from his family's graves during the entire time. Hermione had gone through the students, placing flowers on the graves of friends and whispering a short prayer at each.

Tonks came to stand next to Hermione, gazing out across the sea of graves, her eyes misty and her hair black and drooping. "Come on," she said, steering the girl away. "We should head back and check on Draco."

Dean carried Luna back and Lupin wrapped an arm around Tonks, while Hermione took Bill's hand. They trudged silently up to the castle, the nearly full moon glowing down on them. They walked through the courtyard to check on the horses, all of which were grazing quietly, and then slipped in through the doors and up to the tower.

Draco was just where they had left them, sleeping soundly. His breathing had evened out though and he was lying calmly under the covers, the sheen of sweat gone. "See?" Luna said as Dean lowered her gently to her bed. "He's looking better already."

"Let's get something to eat and we'll figure out our plans for tomorrow," Tonks said, rummaging in one of the bags she and Lupin had grabbed. In just a few minutes, and with the aid of the fireplace downstairs, the group had steaming cups of tea, and a large bowl of spaghetti with butter and cheese in the center of them all.

"Hot meals taste so good," Hermione said, chewing happily on a piece of Italian bread and slurping down noodles seconds later.

"In two nights I'll be a werewolf," Lupin said. "So we basically have two days before that happens. I could always return to the Shrieking Shack and wait it out, but it's nearly impossible to freeze the Whomping Willow without a small animal or a wand. And a wand would alert the Death Eaters that we're here."

"Here's an idea," Bill said, sipping from his teacup. "We could leave for the next clue on the night that Remus will transform. We can look at the stars tonight and see what trail the prophecy is talking about. Hermione can go with Remus in her animagus form that night and start heading for it. We'll follow behind a few hours later and meet up with you at the copper snake."

"But what's the copper snake?" Remus asked. "We haven't figured that part of the prophecy out yet."

"It's probably a pretty obvious landmark," Tonks said. "If we follow the trail of stars we're bound to recognize it when we come to it, right?"

"You'd hope so," Bill chuckled.

"It's a good idea though," the werewolf said. "It would eliminate the need for the Shrieking Shack and this way the horses won't be overloaded for at least a few miles. And the quicker we leave, the better."

"You know," Dean said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I think there are some cliffs quite a ways off from the castle. They're red sandstone… maybe that's the copper snake?"

"That's a good bet," Tonks said. "I mean, cliffs would have steep footfalls that could have us "face woe", right? We'll just follow the trail and see if that makes it there."

"All right, so that's settled," Lupin said. "Now, about tomorrow."

"We can all work on the graves," Luna said. "If we give one hundred percent both days I'm sure we can finish."

"We have to make sure we're not too tired though when we leave," Tonks cautioned. "Especially Hermione and Remus; they'll be moving on their own two feet."

"Four, actually," Hermione laughed.

"We should all probably turn in early," Bill said, rising to his feet and collecting everyone's plates. "We're going to have a long day ahead of us."

"Not until we all get baths," Hermione said adamantly. "And I want to go… go see my room," she added quietly. "I have some pictures… and other things."

"All right then," Tonks said. "Let's all plan to be in bed in two hours. Everyone split up and use a shower or bath in Gryffindor; we're not going venturing to the Prefect tub, got it? Except, Bill, if you or Remus wants to take Draco down there and get him cleaned up." Turning to Dean she asked, "Does the Prefect bath even work?"

"I think it would," he shrugged. "Everything else seems to be. And all the charms are off, except for the pear, so you should be able to get in."

"That's settled then," Remus said. "Personally, I think it might be better if I took my own shower. I'm sort of shedding."

Luna laughed and Hermione smiled as the werewolf held up one of his very hairy arms. "I'll take him," Bill said. "Just let me grab some new clothes first."

Within minutes everyone had dispersed save Dean and Luna. The two of them, having taken showers earlier that day after digging, were quite content to sit on the beds and while Luna read an old muggle mystery novel of Dean's, the black boy simply stroked her hair, and staring at nothing.

Tonks had claimed the sixth year girl's bathroom so Hermione had taken the seventh. But before she went to the bathroom she walked into her old dorm room. All of the beds were made, a few stray beauty products and shirts strewn on Lavender's as she tried to match what she would wear beneath her robes.

Mechanically, she walked over and knelt down in front of her trunk, pressed neatly up against the foot of her bed. Lifting the lid she glanced in at her possessions. Normally, she would only have a few clothing items, but she had been packing that morning seeing as she would be leaving Hogwarts in just two days.

A stack of shirts were pulled out and set to the side, followed by winter pants and thick, woolen socks. At the bottom were her treasures and her memories. There were tons of pictures, all piled neatly in the years they were taken, but still to be dated and noted upon. She normally wasn't one to keep many photos, but she had taken charge of putting together seventh year's yearbook. She had collected photos from her classmates and after putting the book together would make duplicate copies and send them off.

There were simple images of students studying in the library and the common rooms. Talking and laughing at dinner. There was even one scene of Seamus and Dean, their faces switching from terror to insane laughter, fleeing from Filch, taken by an unsuspecting Colin Creevy.

There were many of her. Standing next to Draco, he ignoring her, during a Head meeting. Her studying and swatting at Ron's hands as he tried to read her notes. Petting Crookshanks. Knitting hats for the house elves.

Many of them were taken from Quidditch games. After all, those were one of the highlights of the year. There were some great action shots, Harry catching the snitch, Draco catching it… Ginny throwing the quaffle through the goal.

And then were the pictures taken of unwary couples (some who didn't even know they were a couple yet). Harry and Ginny sitting on the couch, laughing over butterbeer. Parvati and Seamus stealing a quick kiss in the hallway. Even just ones of intimate groups of friends, like her, Harry and Ron, her two boys tickling her as she pleaded mercy.

Snowball fights, Hogsmeade trips, classes, board games, hanging out in the dorms, wading in the lake… everything was piled before her. Everyone was waving and smiling. Everyone was happy. No one knew of what was going to befall them.

Placing her head in her arms, Hermione cried. Cried for all the friends she would never see again, the laughter she would never hear. The gentle embraces and wild hugs. Whispers in her ear and a shoulder to lean on.

They were gone. And nothing could bring them back. She could only keep trudging on and hope that there would be a light at the end of the tunnel. Because running in the dark was all she could do as she tried to find the light.

It seemed like a hopeless cause to most. Always stumbling and crying, running and running to a never-ending finish line.

But if she never tried to find the end…she would never know if there was one. And she wasn't a quitter. She'd continue on till the finish, even if it cost her her life. She would save her friends and family, no matter the cost.

Let her light up the sky.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes:**

So first, a clarification for my benefit as well as yours on the time issues. I've gotten that this is Draco and Hermione's eleventh day free from Voldemort (the eleventh being their first night at Hogwarts). Because I tend to write in scene breaks and switch off and on, the timing issues are slightly off. Where Draco and co. are right now, the Blaise and dungeon group are a **day behind.** Which means that Blaise hasn't arrived back to his cell yet in Draco's time. So, as of now, Draco and co. are one day ahead of Blaise and co. until I catch them up (in which will be clearly stated either in the chapter or in the Author's Notes).

Yay, it's my Mom's birthday! Happy birthday, Mom! You of course will never read this, but that's beside the point xD The White Sox also won a game today so at least we won't get swept like those Cubbies :snicker: (of whom I was rooting for in the playoffs).

As you can see, I didn't kill off everyone except Kagami. It is still a very real threat though. I swear. :shifty eyes: In any case, if you read the chapter please do review. I'd love to hear what you think on it and also my rather speedy update (less than two months, wow!). All of my other fics have pretty much taken a backseat until I finish this one. I'm estimating it should end around thirty chapters give or take two. Hope to see you next chapter! Happy reading and reviewing till then!

Please Review!!


	20. Cause When Push Comes to Shove

**Black is Our World**

**Cause When Push Comes to Shove**

**Warnings: Lemonade ahead!**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_You feel like a candle in a hurricane  
Just like a picture with a broken frame  
Alone and helpless  
Like you've lost your fight  
But you'll be alright  
__You'll be all right…_

_Cause when push comes to shove  
You taste what you're made of  
You might bend 'til you break  
Cause it's all you can take  
On your knees you look up  
Decide you've had enough  
You get mad, you get strong  
Wipe your hands, shake it off  
Then you Stand._

…_Every time you get up  
__And get back in the race  
__One more small piece of you  
__Starts to fall into place…  
__  
__--Stand; Rascal Flatts_

_xxx_

_xxx_

The dim light of the sun streaming through the red velvet curtains was like a supernova exploding in front of his eyes. With a small moan he turned his head into the comforting darkness of his pillow. But now that the intruding light was gone, he noticed the throbbing of his head and the sharp pains shooting up and down his right leg.

"Draco?" someone whispered, placing a small hand on his shoulder and then proceeding to gently shake it. "Are you awake? Draco?"

A very muted 'what' sounded from the pillow and the next thing the Slytherin knew he was being dragged from his pillowy confines and into the light once more. Blearily, he squinted up at whoever had pulled him out of the darkness, but he could only make out muted shapes.

"The light's bothering him," the same voice said, that Draco was now trying to identify. "Dean, can you pull those drapes closed?"

Almost instantaneously, the light was shut out and the blond breathed a small sigh of relief. "Hermione?" he croaked, finally recognizing the familiar voice and presence by his side.

"Here, I'm going to help you sit up," she said quietly, sliding her hand beneath the small of his back and hoisting him up against the headboard of the bed.

The world tipped dangerously for a minute, before a pair of strong hands caught his shoulders and gently eased him into a mound of pillows. _"Bill,"_ Draco realized.

"Drink this," Hermione said, thrusting a glass of crystal clear water beneath his mouth and tipping it slightly as Draco obediently drank.

"Where are we?" he whispered, the scratchiness in his throat making itself known. His gaze drifted about the room, taking in the red and gold hangings and the two new people. "Hogwarts?"

"That's right," Tonks said, gently seating herself on the side of Draco's bed. "You've been asleep for quite a while… what is it, four days now?"

"I just remember Kagami," he said. "And now we're here. I thought we were still far away."

"We found some horses," Remus answered. "They really sped up our journey. And as you can see, we found some friends at Hogwarts."

"It is good to see you awake, Draco Malfoy," Luna said, blue eyes meeting Draco's silver. "I am glad you have chosen our side."

"Me too," he said with a weak grin. Turning his attention to the black boy he gave a nod. "Thomas."

"Malfoy," Dean greeted evenly.

"Now now, no last names," Tonks said cheerily. "Well, except for me of course. Call me my first name and I'll beat you with a pillow."

"Shall we all get some breakfast?" Lupin suggested, hoping to intervene before one of the newer additions to their group asked what her first name was. "We have a busy day ahead of us."

Over a breakfast of oatmeal and juice, Hermione very quickly sketched what had happened in their last few days of the journey and what they would be doing today.

"Since we think the poison in your system is triggered by movement," Tonks said, "you'll remain here while the rest of us work outside. We have a lovely bag full of potions that need sorting, should you get bored. I don't want you attempting to go anywhere on your own, understand?"

Draco nodded although his expression was somewhat downcast. He understood the importance of his not moving, but it didn't make it any easier that he'd be left alone after all the time he'd already spent unconscious.

"I'll be back up in about three hours to re-change your bandages," Hermione said, giving his hand a tight squeeze. "Don't move until then, okay?"

A few minutes later the group trooped out, after Bill escorted Draco on a quick bathroom break. The Slytherin sighed in the empty chamber and gingerly moved to pick up the bag of potions sitting next to him on the bed. His whole body was sore and he could feel the bruises and cuts on his back as he shifted ever so slightly on the pillow throne.

Tonks had said to place ones that would be useful to them back in the bag and to put the other ones on the dresser. He began the task, thoughts shifting aimlessly in his head, but all thoughtful.

First were his injuries. He knew the cuts and bruises would heal, at least as well as they could. His leg… well, if it were poisoned as Tonks had said it was he didn't have many options. Amputation would get rid of the disease, but by the sound and feel of it, the poison had already spread throughout his body. It wouldn't make a difference. He doubted any of the potions would help, if a Bezoar Stone hadn't.

And then there was his… other injury. He liked to think he had come to terms with it. Healing at Grimmwauld had helped enormously, with Hermione there to support him. But if he were to see his father again… what would he do? Would he revert back to a shadow of himself, weak and helpless? Or would he fight and stay strong as he always had before?

He honestly didn't have an answer. And he probably wouldn't until he came face-to-face with his father again… and he hoped that that wouldn't be any time in the near future. Or any time at all actually. Hopefully whatever prophecy Dumbledore was going to tell them would be enough and he wouldn't ever have to confront Lucius again. But that was doubtful.

The prophecy was another big 'what if' lingering over his head. They were chasing after a man on the vague words of a deceased Seer. What if Dumbledore was already dead? Or if they couldn't decode the prophecy in time? Or if they were going in completely the wrong direction? Then what? Were they all destined to die and suffer under Voldemort's hands?

Hands working subconsciously, he set aside a wart removing potion as his thoughts drifted onto a certain Gryffindor girl. He never before would have thought of her as pretty or even worthy of his attentions, but many things had changed. She had always been there to support him and to comfort him. She expressed herself with kind words and warm gestures, never harsh or cruel.

But he doubted she felt the same way about him. He didn't know why she would want him anyways. He was broken and damaged, a toy cast aside when its owner had played with it enough and placed high on an attic shelf where he wouldn't be touched.

She was so warm where he was so cold. She could smile and light up the world, he wasn't even sure he could smile. She was honorable, while he was a deceiver. She had always been good while he had lived in shadows and only recently accepted the light. She was perfect and he was as far from it as was possible.

Despite how much he wanted and wished she would never be his. And he would always be alone.

xxx

Sweat poured down her face and the girl gave a grunt as she thrust her shovel back into the hard earth. They'd been outside for just over two hours and she was already exhausted, having dug a grand total of two graves.

Wiping her forehead with the sleeve of her shirt, Hermione glanced around the Quidditch pitch to see where everyone else was. Bill looked to be on his sixth while Remus was helping Dean gently lower bodies into the holes. Tonks was on her fourth while Luna was sitting off to the side and doing her best to carve the names of the deceased into rocks to be placed on top.

She found it hard to believe Dean and Luna had been doing this for near three months. The good news was the bodies were slowly dwindling and being laid to rest. If she had to estimate, she'd say there were only about fifty more. The reality was devastating though… fifty more people to the already hundreds buried had died. How many wizards and witches were even still alive?

With a sigh, she dug her shovel back into the ground and hoisted out another mound of dirt from the dotted area. Pretty soon, they'd all take a break from digging and go over to bury the bodies Dean and Remus had put in. And then they'd begin all over again.

Hermione didn't know whether to be happy or sad she hadn't recognized any of the dead yet. It was good because she didn't have to see all of the friends she had lost. But it was wrong since she saw how many people she had known nothing about except that they all had a common goal.

"All right, time for a burial," Lupin called with a wave of his now incredibly hairy arm. Giving her new hole one last look, Hermione dragged her shovel behind her over to where Dean and Lupin were waiting. They had been busy, over ten graves needed to be filled in.

Within the next half hour the dirt had been packed into a rounded mound and the small gravestones that simply had a drawing of a sun to represent the 'Light' and the words, "Rest in Peace" carved into them were stuck at the top of each. Luna had collected plenty of flowers earlier, and they all placed them on the graves with a short prayer at each.

"I'm going to go check on Draco," Hermione said after a few moments pause as they lingered over the last grave. "Does anyone want anything from the castle?"

"Maybe something to drink," Tonks said. "It's really humid out here today."

"I hope it doesn't storm tomorrow," Dean said, glancing at the overcast sky worriedly. "That'd put a real damper on our plans."

Hermione nodded. "Lemonade sound good? I'm sure I can find some in the kitchens. If not, everyone gets ice water, which still sounds good."

"See you back in about…half an hour?" Tonks clarified.

"Yup, that should be enough time. Maybe a few more minutes, but I'll be back soon," she said with a grin, and turning she started back towards Hogwarts.

She made it up to Gryffindor in pretty decent time, especially considering the staircases didn't move all that much. Before she went in to see Draco though, she made a quick stop at one of the bathrooms in the hall on the way to Gryffindor Tower. No need to be all sweaty when she saw him.

Heat rose up in her cheeks as she splashed cool water over her face and neck. Was she primping to go see Draco? She didn't fully manage to quell the giddy feeling that rose up in her stomach and her blush increased tenfold.

She wasn't sure when it happened. Perhaps when she'd cared for him back in his cell and he called her by her name. Or when they'd escaped and she'd seen how strong and courageous he was despite his grievous injuries. Maybe it was the time they spent at Grimmwauld, as his endurance and persistence showed itself when he attempted to walk again. Or the peacefulness and innocence on his features when they read together.

She hadn't spoken to him for nearly three days, and she had spent that time worrying over whether he would awaken or if he would slip away. It was so unfair he had such a horrible injury when he was such an independent person. The way he handled himself even with everything he had been through made her heart swell with pride and she felt honored to know him.

But there was no way Draco would ever love her. Even though he appeared to have gotten over his blood prejudices, she was still a muggleborn who had always bested him. She wasn't all that attractive, or so she thought, and she didn't deserve him. Not when he had overcome all obstacles and she felt as though she hadn't even leapt the first hurdle.

There was another girl in his life anyways, a dark haired Slytherin girl who had seen the horrors even earlier than she and had been with Draco through thick and thin.

She knew who Draco loved… and she knew that she just wasn't that girl.

xxx

When she made it up to the tower room where Draco was, a soft smile graced her lips as she entered. The Slytherin had lost to exhaustion and was sound asleep on the bed, several bottles lying around his legs and his head and torso bent at an uncomfortable angle.

She stole quickly forward and removed the bottles from his person, setting them back in the bag on the floor. Before she woke him, she quickly crossed to the far dresser and picked up the bandages and salve she had prepared earlier.

Although there was nothing they could do for the injury on his leg, she and Tonks had decided to continually rewrap it- in any case to prevent the infection that would build up from soiled bandages. She also had to apply the salve to the dozens of whiplashes cut into his back and arms and bandage them back as well. They had even managed to find some ointment that would reduce the swelling of bruises, so she had a jar of that too.

She finally decided it would be easier, at least for the leg, if she cleaned and wrapped it while Draco was still asleep- it would cause him pain and she would rather he not have to suffer more.

Before she began the process, her gaze drifted up to his face, lips turned in a slight frown and hair mused across his forehead. She couldn't even control her hand as it mused through the silky locks, brushing it back from his eyes. As her hand massaged his scalp the frown on his face melted away to one of contentment and a soft moan issued between his lips.

Jerking her hand away, Hermione glared at the appendage as if it were the source for her flaming cheeks. Deciding to do what she had come for, the girl rolled up Draco's pants leg (he was wearing a pair of red flannel pants of Harry's- they were just about the same size) and exposed the mess of bandages.

Wincing, she unclasped the hooks that kept the bandage on and began the slow process of unwinding it, the material becoming stickier and dotted with blood as she got farther down. As soon as the grisly piece of material was free, she threw it immediately into a bag to be disposed of later that night in the fire.

Then, hardly daring to look at the angry injury, she applied some of the antibacterial cream around the opening of the cut, and tried her best to ignore Draco's hiss of pain as she did so. A clean bandage was then grabbed and she wound it quickly yet skillfully over the wound and ended it securely just below his knee.

Shifting herself so she was sitting on the side of the bed, she smiled as she saw Draco giving her a half-lidded gaze. "Did I wake you up?" she whispered.

He made a noise of confirmation and blinked several times up at her, trying to come out of his slumber. She laughed and helped him to sit up, here breath ticking pleasantly against his neck. "I'm just here to change your bandages and then you can go back to sleep," she said.

"I'm actually a little hungry," he admitted with a sheepish grin.

She smiled back. "I'll get you something from the kitchens then after this… are you in the mood for anything? Nothing too rich though; you've hardly eaten the last few days."

"Tomato soup?"

"I think I can arrange that. Now, let's get these fixed, huh?"

Stiffly, Draco slipped off the tee shirt he'd been wearing, leaving his bandage and bruise riddled torso open for the eye to see. He seemed almost self-conscious as Hermione leaned over and began to unwind the cloth and she noticed immediately that he shied away from her touch.

"Are you all right?" she asked softly, the soiled bandages going into the bag at her side as she continued to unwrap them.

"…I'm fine," he said after a pause, flinching slightly as her nails lightly raked one of the incisions.

She knew not to push and silently removed the rest of the wrappings. He was healing, slowly but surely. The bruises that took over much of his arms and shoulders were dark yellow in spots and although they looked painful she knew they were an improvement from a few days ago. The cuts and slashes all over his back and stomach were closed up and some had started to scab. There was no doubt he'd have scars… even dittany couldn't prevent it.

Dipping her fingers into the jar of balm, she lightly spread it over the cuts, fingers as light as a butterfly's wings against the injured flesh. Still though, she could feel Draco tensing beneath her careful ministrations. "Just need to rewrap you and then I'll get you that soup," she said, picking up a new roll of bandages and some gauze. She then glanced at her position on the bed to Draco's slender frame.

Unwrapping the bandages had been easy from this side position. But rewrapping would be much harder as she had to firmly pull them and she wouldn't get a good grip on the bandages like this.

"Mind moving a bit?" she asked, pulling herself so that she knelt in front of Draco, her knees pressed deep into the mattress between his legs. Aware of how this position must look to him, she let out a nervous giggle and gestured at the bandages. "I can't wrap properly from over there. If you can just keep your arms away from your body a bit I'll be done in no time."

"S-sure," he said, pink dusting his cheeks as he stuttered while Hermione tried not to let her own blush deepen. She had instigated this and she was going to finish it.

So, with Draco precariously balancing with his arms levitated away from his sides, Hermione began to wrap the bandage. She focused solely on her task- up, around, over the shoulder, back down- and refused to let their close proximity affect her… much.

She was nearly finished when the 'precariously balanced' Draco came into play. He was by no means a picture of good-health; he was still much to thin, very weak, and as such, sitting in such an awkward position could be quite taxing.

Before he could even let out a cry of surprise, he tilted backwards when Hermione lightly pushed him forward as she reached around his back to grab the bandages. With a soft thump, he landed back on the pillows, but that wasn't all. Because Hermione had been using him as a slight support, she too fell. Right on top of Draco.

Their noses were touching and her hands were laid palm down on either side of his head when she attempted to catch herself. She could feel his heartbeat thudding beneath her and hers sped up as well.

His eyes locked with hers, so much passion hidden in the molten depths. "Hermione," he breathed, warm air caressing her face.

She wasn't sure if she bent her head down or if he went up, but the next moment she found herself with her lips pressed against his. The kiss was soft and gentle, his hands reaching up and burying themselves in her hair as he pulled her down towards him.

He nibbled gently on her lower lip, a smirk growing on his face as she gave a breathy moan and pushed the kiss into something more, hot and searing pleasure racing through both of their bodies. She was gripping him by his shoulders now, and he was ignoring the pain in favor of tasting her.

"We… shouldn't be…" she managed to gasp as he started trailing kisses down her jaw, suckling at the delicate skin.

"Why not?" he asked against her neck, the vibrations of his words sending heat straight to her core and she shivered in anticipation.

"Pansy," she started, but Draco interrupted her.

"Is my sister," he said, still kissing her. "Nothing…more…"

"Good," she said, smiling against his bandaged chest. "Because you're mine."

She dove in for another searing kiss, shoving his head back into the pillows, her hands trailing down his chest. His hands moved from her hair to skim beneath her shirt, the skin on skin contact feeling amazing. He slowly moved his hands upwards, rubbing circles on the soft skin of her stomach towards the edges of her bra.

Hermione broke off the kiss for a moment to throw her shirt over her head and it landed somewhere in the midst of the potion supplies Draco had been sorting earlier.

She mewled in pleasure as his hands resumed their stroking of the undersides of her breasts, and her hands clenched rather painfully on his shoulders as desire flowed through her. She could feel Draco's own desire pressed against her inner thigh, making her want to take him inside her right then.

Squirming, he managed to flip them around so she was pinned beneath them, her hair fanning out on the pillows while Draco smirked down at her, looking like a heavenly angel with a devilish charm.

"You want this?" he asked, voice heavy with want.

"I want you," she whispered, pulling herself up for another deep kiss that he readily responded to in kind. His hands had slipped beneath her bra and pushed it over her breasts, the soft mounds of flesh responsive to his every touch as he suckled lightly at one of her tight nipples.

She gasped in delight and panted as he used his one of his hands to lightly draw circles around the base of the neglected globe. "Draco," she whimpered, arching her back and lifting herself off to bed so he had more access to her. "More…"

He made a contented noise in the back of his throat and began to kiss the valley between her breasts, trailing down her stomach. With each kiss she felt herself grow warmer and wetter, the heat now a raging inferno between her thighs. And it needed to be quelled. Now.

Draco's hands were fingering the waistband of her pants and she tried to shove them off, but growled in frustration as the button refused to give. Draco had just been down to help her when the sound of the door slamming open stopped them. Both turned questioning gazes as well as slightly annoyed ones to see what had happened.

Tonks stood there, cheeks bright pink as she clasped a hand over her mouth. Reality came like being doused in a bucket of ice cold water. Hermione gave a small yelp and yanked her bra back down while Draco moved to roll off Hermione, but misjudged and landed on the floor behind the bed instead.

"Ummm," Tonks said, rubbing the back of her head and looking anywhere but at the two of them. "Well… it's been almost an hour and…"

"Sorry," Hermione whispered, pulling her shirt quickly over her head and refusing to look at the woman she considered her sister.

"Oh, no need to be sorry," Tonks said. "I was wondering when you two would get to admitting it but… well, I didn't expect to walk into that."

Draco had by now painfully gotten back onto the bed, favoring his leg and moving stiffer now that the passion of the moment had worn off.

"I'll just… go now," Tonks said. "Join us when you're ready, Hermione…"

"Well," Hermione said, nervously tracing circles on the rumpled comforter after Tonks had left.

Draco took her hand and held it in his so she had to halt her pattern. "Hey," he said gently, smoothing an errant curl away from her face. "What happened, happened. And although I could erase Tonks from entering, I'm glad everything else did," he said, caressing her cheek with his thumb. "Because I think I love you."

"Well," she said, a smirk forming on her lips, "Us Gryffindors are more decisive in our decisions. I _know _I love you."

"Then I definitely love you," he said, leaning in close for a gentle kiss. When it was slowly broken off and their foreheads rested against each other he said quietly, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Hermione. I will do _anything_ to keep you safe."

"You already have," she said, pulling him into a gentle embrace. "If it wasn't for you, I'd probably still be in that cell. You are one the most amazing people I have ever met, Draco. And I will do anything to protect you.

"And as such," she said with a small a laugh, "I'm going to protect you from the chances of an infection. Sit back while I finish these bandages."

Draco did so, a hint of mischievousness playing over his features. As she bent in to wrap the bandage around his torso once more, he leaned down and placed a kiss to the side of her cheek.

"Draco," she whispered, tapping him lightly on the nose. "Hold still."

"I am," he grinned, kissing the tip of her nose and she laughed, placing one on his.

"Tonks is going to think we're up to something again," she said, yanking the bandage around. "And as much as I'd like to prove her right, you do need your rest and I need to go help them. We will have plenty of time," she said, kissing him again, "to do this after the war."

"You're mean," he whined but reluctantly allowed her to finish her bandaging. "Do I still get my soup?"

"Of course. Would you like that delivered mouth-to-mouth or spoon?"

"Mmmm, that first option sounds tempting."

Laughing and feeling like she could float on clouds, Hermione practically skipped from the room and into the common room where they had put a lot of their cooking supplies. A can and a bowl later, she was carrying up a dish of steaming hot tomato soup to her newly dubbed boyfriend.

She found him nearly half-asleep, curled adorably around one of the pillows. "Hey," she said, poking him lightly in the arm. "You need to eat something."

A garbled response into the pillow was her reply. Shaking her head, Hermione pulled the pillow out of Draco's arms and took its place, carefully balancing the soup in one hand. "All right then, I'll just spoon feed it to you."

Seconds later, Draco felt the hot metal spoon pressing against his lips and with a groan he opened his mouth and slowly maneuvered himself so he wasn't lying down.

"Get some sleep," Hermione said, placing the empty bowl to the side a few minutes later. "You'll feel lots better." She managed to drag the comforter over him and then placed a light kiss against his lips and he gave her a sleepy grin in response.

Once she was sure he'd fallen asleep, Hermione exited the room quietly and hurriedly made her way to the kitchen.

She suddenly had a craving for lemonade.

**Author's Notes:**

And you got me to write lemonade! (like a lemon but watered down since I didn't write all the way- it sounds so much cooler than a lime). I hope you enjoyed it, because it's probably the first and last time I'll ever write something like it :P And well, it took twenty chapters but Draco and Hermione have finally admitted their feelings. Yay!

So I updated this as a belated birthday gift to my dear twin, happy 20th darling! On that note, it's also my birthday (was) and I'm now officially old xD This update is also an early Christmas present for everyone! So Merry Christmas (and happy holidays!)

Reviews make great gifts for both events :D :giggle: They're free, make me super happy, and are probably the most rewarding gifts. So please hit that button down there. Please?

Now, my twin wanted me to conduct a poll, so if you could answer the question with the following choices, that'd be awesome.

**Why did you review this chapter? **(Write all letters that reply)

A. I always review because that's what you're supposed to do!

B. Zomg, Icy wrote a lemon of sorts. Major reviewing here!

C. Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas review!

D. I'm answering this stupid poll question, duh.

E. Other—Explain why?

**Review please!**


	21. If I Could Take Back the Pain I Would

**Black is Our World**

**If I Could Take Back the Pain I Would**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_Something has been taken from deep inside of me  
The secret I've kept locked away no one can ever see  
Wounds so deep they never show they never go away  
Like moving pictures in my head for years and years they've played_

If I could change I would take back the pain I would  
Retrace every wrong move that I made I would  
If I could stand up and take the blame I would  
If I could take all the shame to the grave I would  


_It's easier to run  
Replacing this pain with something numb  
It's so much easier to go  
Than face all this pain here all alone_

_Sometimes I remember the darkness of my past  
Bringing back these memories I wish I didn't have  
Sometimes I think of letting go and never looking back  
And never moving forward so there'd never be a past_

_--Easier to Run; Linkin Park_

_xxx  
_

_xxx_

He sat. Sat and stared at the mirror, the elegant framework of intertwining vines and flowers doing nothing to improve his downcast appearance. Dark brown hair was brushed back behind his ears, elegant jaw line jutting forward in what would have been a proud look if his eyes hadn't been so dead.

They were empty pools of brown, just as empty as the scotch glass and the bottles that littered the area around him. It was just past three in the morning… he'd been drinking for near on five hours now. But no matter how much he consumed, he couldn't get the voices out of his head. Forget dreaming a nightmare: he was living one.

The boy's screams echoed in his head and he downed another shot of the amber liquid, desperate to forget. Desperate to push the past behind him and bury it once more. But the present only dredged up the past and he couldn't not forget again. He couldn't find the strength to face it, but nor could he run any longer.

When the Zabini boy had been revealed as a traitor, he had originally felt nothing. No remorse, no pity, and certainly no compassion. But then he had made the mistake of dropping in on one of Bella and Marlin's sessions with him.

The resemblance he bore to his own son was remarkable. Both with alabaster skin and shockingly dark hair. Bold, bright blue eyes that had seemed to gaze right through him when they had locked gazes on that second day, penetrating his soul and leading him into drunken mess he found himself in.

So much alike. So much of the same fiery spirit. And yet too much alike… he would die as well. A slow, painful death.

He had raised his son, Darius, on his own. His wife had died just a year after Darius was born due to complications when she had attempted to birth her second son, who also died. He had done everything he could to be the perfect father for his young son. He taught him how to fly his broom. He'd was there for the first time he had done magic (accidentally breaking a vase and then fixing it) and had introduced him to Hogwarts.

Then everything had gone wrong. He had always been a loyal servant to the Dark Lord and had been devastated when he had supposedly died. And then fourteen years later he returned to them in all his former glory. Darius had been sixteen.

At first it seemed everything would go according to plan. Darius received his Dark Mark at his insisting, and joined the Death Eaters on their raids. But then he started to become reluctant. He drew back when others attacked. He mourned the victims instead of relishing in their demise.

And then the unthinkable had happened. He had been caught freeing the muggles that were to be used for the night's entertainment earlier in the evening. November third. The date would be forever burned into his memory.

Voldemort had been furious. Darius, now seventeen, did not cower or beg for mercy. He didn't plead or grovel. He told Voldemort what he thought of him. That he was a vile man, not even fit to call himself human. They were all horrible and committing sins that would never be washed away. And he wasn't going to stand for it.

The Dark Lord had acted accordingly. Darius had been tortured, writhing and screaming in pain as curse after curse was hurled at him. He had been crying… crying for his father to save him. And he had turned away, unable to watch but also unable to stop the torture. After an agonizing three hours and fifty-six minutes Darius had died, his blood coating the grass beneath him and his face twisted in unimaginable agony.

He had failed his son, but he had proved himself worthy in Voldemort's eyes. At that time, that was all that mattered. Gone were the memories of laughter and play that had once taken priority in his life. Now screams of pain filled him and then consumed him, as he devoted his entire life into serving the Dark Lord.

Until yesterday.

He had tried to pretend he hadn't seen the boy's silent plea. Tried not to overlap the young Zabini's face with his son's. Tried not to dwell on what fate the boy was going to befall.

But trying hadn't cut it anymore. He saw the boy's face every waking moment and in every dream. He had often wondered about the 'what ifs' if he had chosen to save Darius instead of spending a life of servitude to the Dark Lord. He would most likely be dead. But… he wouldn't have these lingering bouts of guilt that showed themselves every now and then.

Any maybe now another 'what if' had popped up. What if this were a second chance of sorts? A chance to do the right thing and save another innocent boy?

Nirav may have been able to toss his son away, but there was no way that he could watch it happen again.

He would never be able to retrace all the wrong moves of his life. He had sinned too many times for his past to ever be cleansed. He would still take guilt and shame to his grave. But now… he could try his best to remedy his past mistakes.

It was time he moved forward and formed a new past.

xxx

All was quiet in the cells. Once Blaise had returned no one had felt up to reading from the spell book or talking. They all sat in a brooding silence, contemplating a means of escape with nothing in particular coming to mind.

Blaise was nearly comatose, eyes still vacant and breathing heavy and labored. Already a pool of blood was surrounding him on the floor and they all knew that unless he received help really soon there was nothing they would be able to do. Which was probably the worst.

It was one thing to worry about Draco and Hermione out there trying to find help. Another to worry about their safety and escaping. It was completely different to watch someone die and know that there was nothing you could do.

Pansy had finally stopped calling him, her voice hoarse from tears. She was huddled against the wall that separated her and Blaise, wishing she could somehow just phase through it and be by his side. She didn't know what she would do once she was there, but if she could comfort him in any way she would.

The guards had been by earlier to turn off the lights, leaving a single torch burning at the end of the hall. It was nearing eleven now, but no one felt like sleeping. Their nerves were shot and they knew it wouldn't be much longer until Blaise finally passed from the realm of the living to that of the dead.

So when muffled footsteps sounded on the stairs way after everyone had left, they were all instantly alert. Before those footsteps would have meant Blaise, but that wasn't the case. So who was their visitor?

A cloaked figure descended into the hallway, wand out in front and face hidden by his hood. He quietly made his way towards Blaise's cell, but not before causing an uproar as the prisoners assumed he was going to kill Blaise.

"Get away from him!" yelled Pansy, having risen to her feet. "Don't you dare hurt him!"

"I'm trying to help him," the cloaked figure snarled, whirling to face the group. "But if you continue to make noise, then no one will be able help us."

With the group quieted at least for the moment, the man continued towards the cell and opened it with a simple unlocking charm. He knelt down on the cold ground and placed his fingers on Blaise's wrist, the pulse beating weakly beneath his fingertips.

"Why?" Ginny asked softly as the unnamed man conjured a glass of water and pressed it gently against the boy's pale lips, tilting his head back so he could swallow.

"I am atoning," he said quietly, his back still to them. "I will not stand idly by again."

The man knew that he wouldn't be able to heal Blaise completely- everyone would become suspicious. But he could do his best to treat him in unnoticeable ways; healing the injuries on the inside and trying to sort through his mind to bring it all back together.

And then, there was always the art of disguise.

He placed the tip of his wand against one of the many deep cuts on Blaise's torso, and as he began a soothing chant a blue glow incased the injury and it slowly began to heal. Before the process was complete, he removed his wand and placed a sickly yellow paste over it.

"What are you doing?" Pansy asked, unable to see.

"I am healing up the worst of the injury," he answered. "And so as not to arouse suspicion, I am placing a balm I created over his wounds- it will slowly continue to heal them but due to the color and substance it appears to be an infection."

Silence descended once more as the unknown Death Eater repeated the process on the worst of the injuries. He rotated him gently so that he was no longer lying in the puddle of blood, which was sure to cause a real infection if he didn't die first from the blood loss.

With the most careful of touches, he wiped the blood from the boy's face, staring intently at the closed eyes and willing them to open. The ministrations being done to him hadn't gone unnoticed, and after just a few seconds Blaise opened his eyes, though his gaze slid past the Death Eater to look at nothing.

Setting him down gently on the ground, he rose to his feet and left the cell to then stand in front of Pansy's. "I require assistance," he said, unlocking the door and gesturing for the Slytherin girl to exit. She did so, after throwing a cautious look back at her cell companions.

"What do you need me for?" she asked, stepping into the hallway, something she hadn't done on her own since their first escape attempt.

"I am certain you know what a pensive is," he said. "It was created by adding memories to it so that the user could contemplate on them later. I am going to try and perform a similar spell on Blaise- but instead of taking memories out I am hoping to resort them so he might gain some lucidity. I'm sure that you, Longbottom, are familiar with this."

He nodded. "It helped my parents for a little bit… but they never got fully better."

"That's true," the Death Eater acquiesced. "But if I am able to get to Blaise in time he may be in a better state than he is now. But do not get your hopes up- he will most likely never be the same.

"Your job," he said turning to Pansy, "is to alert me after five minutes. Just a tap on the shoulder will do. I will not be able to pull out of his mind otherwise and will only damage both of us. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes," she said and the man led her into Blaise's cell. She immediately knelt next to him, pulling his body over her lap and running her hands through his hair, blood flecking off in her hands and a sob pulled at the back of her throat.

"You have to continue to stay strong," he said, kneeling next to her. "Now, five minutes. Count the seconds in your head. If you must, rouse me earlier. Don't start counting though until you see a glow."

"Glow?" she asked, but the man was already murmuring words and waving his wand above Blaise's head, before both he and Blaise began to glow a soft green. "That glow," she murmured, and then began to count.

xxx

Inside of Blaise's head, the man was nearly overwhelmed by the sudden rush of disjointed memories. He had delved into people's minds before, prying into their thoughts when Voldemort could glean no more information via Occlumency- sometimes the best information lay in the deep recesses of the mind that even the carrier had no idea of and as such Voldemort could not find it.

This, however, was the worst mind he had ever found himself in. Images raced past him in milliseconds, some of them were distorted and others missing pieces; holes in the memory. One image in particular kept flashing through- Lavender Brown and Neville Longbottom; the two victims that Blaise had been told were to be killed once he died. It appeared that their faces had remained firmly in his memory, even if he knew not the cause of why.

Deciding that standing there was wasting precious time, he began to draw pieces of the memories that were broken to him and slowly began to 'heal' them; filling in the holes and then sending them back out. As he did such, he pushed them back into a semblance of order, trying to recreate the original timeline of Blaise's mind to the best of his ability.

The distorted images were the hardest to fix, but also the most vital. They were the parts that hadn't been destroyed, but instead the memory was fuzzy and unclear. If he could fix some of them, a few more pieces would start to fall into place on their own instead of needing his assistance.

Unfortunately, there were millions upon millions of pieces floating through and it was impossible to fix them all. Even years of doing this wouldn't help- there were always too many pieces. And once the mind realized someone was in it, then it would start to lock out the person. And the art he was performing was known to very few, so after everyone was locked out there was nothing more one could do.

So absorbed was he in the task of pulling the pieces together, that he barely acknowledged the tap to his shoulder, and then a more furious shake. With as much haste as he could muster, he stumbled towards the 'door' that led back to the conscious realm and tumbled through.

As he came to in his body he could feel himself shaking and the girl next to him was looking at him worriedly. "Are you all right? I was shaking you and you weren't responding," she said.

He gave a feeble nod, the energy sapped from him at the moment. "How is he?" he asked breathlessly.

Now that the danger was over, Pansy turned to her long-time friend, noticing how his eyes had closed once more. "I think sleeping," she said slowly, watching as his chest, still bloody and covered with injuries, rose up and down with each breath he took. But instead of the haggard breathing he'd been doing all night, it was now lighter and steadier.

"To be expected," he said, rising unsteadily to his feet. "He'll hopefully wake in a few hours… I'll be back tomorrow night to perform the treatment for as long as I'm able to. But right now, you must go back to your own cell."

Pansy, after placing a soft kiss on Blaise's forehead, rose and exited. But just as she was passing the Death Eater to go back in her own cell, he lurched precariously to one side and Pansy just managed to catch him enough to put him back on balance.

The movement knocked the hood from his face, leaving the aristocratic features in plain sight and Ginny gasped in surprise, a single name leaving her lips.

"Dameo?"

xxx

The two days spent at Hogwarts had passed quicker than any others. It may have been because they were exhausted having dug graves for every single witch and wizard on their side. Or perhaps it was because in just a few hours Hermione and Remus would be leaving and then the others would follow to where they did not know if their questions would be answered or not.

Draco had been getting better, the rest and the lack of movement helping slow the poison. But Tonks had noticed that he was running a slight fever, still low but there. The poison was spreading quickly and his body was doing what it could to fight it off, but Tonks knew that in the end nothing would be able to save her cousin if even a Bezoar couldn't. She could only hope that Dumbledore would have one last trick up his sleeve as he always had before the bloody war began.

The auror glanced up from the bag she was packing of spare clothing and lightweight food to look at her companions. Hermione and Draco were curled up on his bed, the girl reading to him from one of her muggle fairytale books she had had in her trunk and Draco's eyes closed peacefully.

Remus she knew was in the kitchen eating as much as he could so he wouldn't be tempted to eat anything later that night when he and Hermione were on the move. Bill was checking on the horses and making sure they had plenty to eat before their journey later that night.

Luna was packing a small satchel as well, while Dean hovered over her, handing the blonde every item that was even slightly out of reach. Tonks suppressed a grin; it appeared that love was brewing in the air again.

Throwing in one last shirt, she buckled her bag and tossed it into the growing pile. Already everyone had a small satchel or duffel that held their clothes and any personal belongings they were hauling with them (pictures, books, letters, etc.). There were two slightly larger duffels that Dean and Tonks had packed that morning that carried all of their dry and imperishable food. The would gather the stuff that needed to be kept slightly cool last; it would perhaps last till the next day. Dean's broom was sitting next to the pile as well, and Bill had offered to take Draco down to Slytherin so he might get his own broom (not to ride of course though; he was definitely sitting on a horse).

It was the calm before the storm, the breath before the fall. Everything was going to change in just a few hours… a few hours would decide the fate of the war. Did the riddle hold true? Or was it just the ramblings of a dying Seer?

They had all gone outside the night before and gazed at the stars from the Astronomy Tower. At first there had been nothing, just a scattering of stars that seeped through the cloud coverage. But then the wind had picked up and the clouds had moved, seemingly in random directions so that a thin trail of stars shone between the clouds and moved into the distance past the Forbidden Forest and into mountains. It couldn't get much clearer then that.

However peaceful it may be, Tonks was bored. The bags had been packed, the supplies readied, and everything was set. She was antsy, but there was nothing she could do till later that night. So she flopped onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling, drawing in a deep breath and exhaling quietly.

Her mind wandered and she felt all the fears of things she couldn't control come back. At least when she was doing something she didn't have to think on what she couldn't do. But now… what was going to happen to Draco? What if they didn't find Dumbledore? What happened when even if they found Dumbledore, he couldn't help them? What then? Would she allow herself to be captured to avoid the miserable life she was sure to have? Would she try and launch a full-scale attack; a suicide mission? Take out as many as she could before she went?

Would she lose anyone she loved? Would she lose… Remus?

She fell into an uneasy doze, wishing that the night would just come sooner so that she could do something and make all the dark thoughts go away.

xx

Night finally arrived. The moon was nearly risen in the sky and good-byes had been exchanged, some more passionate than others. Although they would all see each other soon, just separating at all was painful. Because complications could always arise and then they might never see each other again.

Hermione and Remus left the castle, only Hermione with a pack strapped on to her. Before the moon could clear the trees, Hermione transformed, the pack fortunately staying over her forepaws and on her back. She looked up at Gryffindor Tower, where everyone was clustered at the window. Next to her, Remus started his slow transformation into the Dark creature, once the moon decided to show itself. A few agonizing seconds later, the werewolf stood next to the wolf, his yellow eyes nearly glowing in the wane lighting.

Barking lightly, Hermione nipped at the much larger creature, grabbing hold of a frayed pant leg, and trotting off in the direction that the stars once again pointed to. After dropping to all fours and sniffing the air, Remus followed. Within minutes they were gone, only their howls sounding in the distance to show that they existed.

"Well then," Tonks said, hopping off the window sill. "We're going to be leaving ourselves in about five hours- around three a.m.. We'll all have our last hot meal," she said, gesturing at the steaming chicken roast with hot potatoes and carrots piled around it, "and then rest a bit more. Bill, you said you'd take Draco to go get his broomstick?"

"Yeah," the redhead agreed. "Do you wanna go before or after dinner, Draco?"

"Let's go now and then eat after," he said from his position on the window seat. "I'd rather savor food then the dungeon floor."

"I can agree with that," Bill laughed an moved over to pull Draco unsteadily to his feet. "But your feet aren't going to touch the floor."

"W-what?" he gasped as Bill picked him up and deposited the Slytherin rather ungracefully over his shoulder. "Put me down right now!"

"The less movement the better," Luna intoned from her bed where she was braiding the front few strands of her hair. "Don't be such a baby."

"If he wouldn't carry me like a sack of potatoes I might feel a little better," Draco retorted, glaring as best as he could around Bill's broad shoulder. "I will remember this," he said to the Weasley.

"I'm sure you will," Bill said, giving a cheerful wave and exiting the room, the muttering Slytherin draped over his shoulder and back.

The two were silent for much of the way down, save quiet directions of Draco's 'turn here' and 'go until you see…'. Silence was the best companion for times like these, as blood splatters coated the stone walls and floor as they moved farther down.

"We're here," Draco said quietly as they reached the bottom of a staircase and stood in front of a section of wall that had heavy scorch marks emblazoned upon it, whether from friendly or enemy fire they did not know. "Put me down," he commanded, though no haughtiness hung in the words.

Bill gently lifted him from his shoulder and placed the Slytherin in front of the wall. Taking a jerking step forward and putting almost no pressure on his injured limb, Draco pushed against the stone, his breath catching deep in his throat as dried blood came away on his hand.

There was much more blood to be found inside. The common room, normally so cold and silent now felt even the colder chill of death. Bodies of several students lay sprawled out beneath the stone columns, puddles of russet colored blood seeped into the mortar below them.

"But…why?" Bill whispered, looking at the students, some less than half his age.

"Not all Slytherins are loyal to Voldemort," Draco said softly, leaning on the redhead for support from both his leg and the grisly scene before them. "But almost all of Voldemort's followers are Slytherin. They just…exterminated…the ones that weren't."

"These are children," Bill said, looking at body of a young girl, a first year Charms book lying underneath her outstretched hand.

"Does Voldemort need an excuse to kill someone?" Draco hissed, venom in his voice. Softer he added, "There's no time to bury them now. But the dungeon is preserving them since it's so cold… we can give them a burial after we find Dumbledore and stop Voldemort. For now… let's just get my broom."

Bill merely gave a nod, and after one last glance at the students who had been killed way before their time, carefully picked Draco up and started for the staircase the latter indicated.

Where as Gryffindor had been set up with the Seventh Years getting the uppermost floor, the Seventh Year Slytherins got the ones at the very bottom. "It was quieter down here," Draco said as they descended past the Fourth Year door. "And they assumed that the First Years would get tired running up and down all those steps."

Small talk. It was what they had been reduced to so that they could ignore the bodies slumped in the dim stairwell, a bloody handprint prominent on the doorway of the fifth years and the body lying just inside.

"Well, here we are," Draco said as they finally reached the bottom where an Ornate door awaited them with the number seven in cast silver marking the year. Bill found himself heaving a sigh of relief as the room proved to be empty of anything other than beds and dressers. "The far right one is mine," Draco said and Bill walked him over to it, setting the boy down on the pristinely made bed.

A large chest was what Draco went to, the Malfoy seal inscribed on the lid. He flipped it open and carefully took out a few shirts and pants of his own, although he had grown far too slender for most of his things to fit comfortably. And then he took out a photo. It wasn't like any of the ones that Bill had seen of Hermione's: what with laughing and smiling Gryffindors.

His was more solemn. It featured Draco and dark haired girl Bill vaguely recognized, gazing steadily at the camera, her hand giving his a squeeze after a few seconds and he giving her a small smile. "That's Pansy," Draco said quietly. "It was taken on the day I told Dumbledore I wanted out of the Death Eaters… we both considered it a turning point in our lives."

He pocketed the photo and rose unsteadily to his feet, stumbling slightly and catching himself on the bed next to him. His silver gaze turned to look at the nightstand of this particular one, where he could almost picture his other close friend sitting in the middle, brow furrowed as he read a difficult passage in one of his books. And then that same person would have their face morph into a grin large enough to split his face as the concept finally was understood.

"Who's bed was that?" Bill asked gently, noticing the contemplative stare.

"Blaise's," Draco said, sitting down on the edge of it, like he had done so many times before when he and the dark haired Slytherin played chess. "I don't know what happened to him," he said, tracing the diamond stitching on the cover. "I don't think he was a Death Eater… but I hope he wasn't killed. His father is a big supporter of the Dark Arts though, so he probably was."

"Not necessarily," Bill said, taking a seat next to Draco. "You and your friend Pansy defected, right? Maybe he did too."

"Then he was killed," Draco said bluntly, not bothering to hide the despair in his voice. "If he wasn't at Voldemort's with us then they would have killed him; if there's one thing I know it's that Voldemort does not like turncoats. I still wonder why he kept Pansy and myself alive…" he said, trailing off.

"Hey, Bill? Do you ever get the feeling that there's something more going on then what there appears to be? Like why were we the only ones kept at Voldemort's? Why weren't we sent to the camps like almost everyone else? Did we have a purpose to him? Were we there for something more than what it seemed?"

"It's not what it seems," Bill whispered, eyes widening in horror. "Oh my God… Draco, how many did you say there were of you?" When the Slytherin paused Bill reached forward and shook him by the shoulders, desperation in his eyes. "How many were there?"

"T-ten," he gasped. "Why? What's wrong?" Bill didn't answer but instead reached over and hauled Draco over his shoulder, grabbed the clothes and broomstick and tore out of the room. "What's wrong?" Draco pleaded, wincing as he was jarred. "Bill, what's going on?"

Running, running, always running. But no matter how fast you go, how quick you are, they're always one step ahead. One step closer to the finish line, one step closer to the end.

You could walk and give up, say that it's not worth it and turn away. You could accept defeat and the consequences that come with it. Or you can just keep running. Keep running and hope that somehow you'll reach that finish line first. That you'll be the one ahead of the race. That you'll win.

Otherwise, it won't matter how hard you've tried or how far you've gotten. All that matters is that you've lost. And the loser does not win anything, does not gain anything. They only lose their life. And all of the lives of everyone who was counting on them.

So keep on running. Don't look back, don't look ahead. Put one foot in front of the other and push forward for the end. You can't lose. You can only keep running.

Just keep on running.

**Author's Notes:**

The Narnia soundtrack song "The Battle" is amazing. It gave me the whole inspiration for that last little bit with Bill and Draco in the dungeons. I must listen to it during more chapters!

So I have a little contest for you dear reviewers and readers :heart: I wrote an 'interlude' of sorts for BOW that I thought might be a nice addition for the story. The whole interlude is written from a single character's perspective.

If you can guess in your review who that mystery character is, I'll send you the chapter by e-mail (if you're not a registered user, make sure to leave an e-mail address so I can contact you) before I publish it on the site. Sneak peek to the extreme, huh?

I'll give you two hints. One, it's not an OC :P Two, s/he is not in any of the groups (prison group, Draco's group). Any guesses? It'll be pretty random, but go ahead and take a stab at it.

So, please do review, both for the 'contest' and so I can see what you thought of this chapter. Your opinions mean a lot to me. Thanks!


	22. Interlude: These Bars Cannot Hold Us

**Black is Our World**

**Interlude- These Bars Cannot Hold Us**

**EDIT: Re-uploaded February 24,2009 due to the technical glitch. Even if you have already read this, your review is highly appreciated again. Thank you!  
**

My back was killing me. Seriously, I'm pretty sure that it's going to snap like a toothpick if I have to lift anything else. All those years of leaning over a broom is nothing compared to this. And at least then I would have just sat out and complained to Wood to stop being a slave driver. I do that here and they'll probably kill me.

I'm still puzzling out what to do. I'm a Gryffindor, dammit! I should be able to lead some revolt or inspire my fellow prisoners to not look so down-trodden. But how can I do that when I feel myself slipping farther away each day?

There had been so much hope when I first heard of a prisoner escaping from a camp further north. If one person could do it, why couldn't I? But the guard tightened and the defenses to keep us trapped were heightened- it was nearly impossible.

Personally, I think those scum were scared. Someone had bested them and escaped when they considered themselves all powerful. They hadn't even wanted the prisoners to find out, fearing it would cause some other person to try and be a hero, but even Death Eaters gossip and that was a hot topic for a while.

I would try. I would. But even if I were to succeed what would that do? I'd have nowhere to go, no one to turn to. I don't even know where we are and it's not like I can go ask for directions. I don't think there are really that many free people left.

And chances are, I would be caught and then I would die. Dying doesn't seem like such a horrible option; it'd get me out of here. But I can't just give up like that- I refuse to throw my life away to those devils. Somehow I'm going to make it through this and then live to tell the tale.

Even if I don't necessarily do anything that would be noted as heroic there's plenty to tell. It'd probably take me a year to explain everything, even though I've only been here for what… four months? First I'd tell how I was captured. Instead of staying behind at the auror office, even though I was supposed to be confined to desk duty since I'd just gotten out of the hospital from a side effect of a rather nasty spell, I dashed off with the rest of them to Hogwarts.

I put up a good fight, I must have taken down about five, which is pretty good since I'd never before had to use killing spells but the situation required it. Next thing I knew I was hit in the back by a stunner and I went down. A Death Eater came by and he must have deemed me worthy in their perverted sense and carted me off to this camp, where I lay bound hand and foot for near two days while they brought in more fallen wizards and witches.

I don't know what exactly I had been hoping for, considering it was Death Eaters I was dealing with, but their humanity was long gone. Instead of treating us at least humanely so long as we went along with what they asked of us, they abused us to their pleasure.

After being depraved of light for those first two days, I was dragged abruptly from my holding cell and shoved into the glaring daylight, told to help build the fence that would entrap us. I could hardly see and I remember stumbling forward, trying to make sense of the bright shapes. And then he struck me, in hindsight I'm assuming was a heavy club or a rather thick branch. Probably the club though, Death Eaters have always struck me (haha) as the Medieval torture kind of guys. Must be the hoods.

I could hear other people crying out as they endured the same treatment, suffering because of the condition they had inflicted upon us. I'm surprised I made it through that first day—a lot didn't. Looking back on it, I think it may have been a test, a very cruel test, of some sorts. To weed out the weak from the strong. They gave me not even a day of time to recover, large welts and bruises covering most of my body and a definite leg shattered. It never fully recovered either- I walk with a slight limp and it would have been even worse if one of the Death Eaters hadn't partially fixed it. Fortunately, it isn't enough of a handicap to keep me from moving and working at their pace, so I haven't been disposed of. Yet.

Every day I get woken up from my dingy spot on the floor, no beds here, and get a meager portion of some kind of road kill. Or something equally nauseating. And then, everyone goes their own ways to their assigned chores. I seem to always end up tending the fields or building something or another. Today in fact was fields- cutting down stalks of corn and then carrying it back to the storage room (which is more than twice the size of any of the dwellings they have us live in).

Corn may not appear to be the heaviest thing in the world, but after a while it hurts. The act of slicing the stalk down burns my arms and the husks scratch against my face and arms. My back is sore from hoisting the corn over my shoulders and if I have to take one more step I'm seriously going to collapse. But what choice do I have? If I give up then they'll kill me.

I stumble out of the barn and back into the sunlight, burning fiercely down. It's somewhere in early September or maybe late August. We don't exactly have calendars, but based on when the sun rises (astronomy was good for something I suppose) I think it's been about three months.

Right now, the days are hot but the nights are cold. We're fine for a while longer in these conditions, but if the temperature continues to drop the Death Eaters are going to have to do something. As it is, at night we're all freezing in our rooms and some of the prisoners are beginning to get sick. With the cramped quarters it won't be long till we're all running fevers and catching each other's illnesses.

I'm awfully thirsty… my throat feels like a piece of dried up old parchment. But water break isn't for about another hour… I glance out over the fields where I just came from, already wishing I could go back into the barn. At least there is no sun in there and it's quite cool…a nice change from the burning sun. There are a few Death Eaters in their though, just waiting for a chance to kick someone who fell from carrying their load.

With one last look into the cool recesses of the barn, I force myself to trudge back to the field and begin the process of cutting down another stalk. But the whispered mutterings of a small group of Death Eaters hovering on the edge of the field stop me.

I can't help it, I've always been a bit nosy and in this place you'll do anything for a tidbit of information. So I sidle over, trying to keep hidden in the cornstalks (which actually isn't all that hard; they're so thick) and look like I'm working.

They're three of the younger Death Eaters, the more gossipy ones. Perfect. I'm the seeker that has caught the snitch.

"…so then I found out that the brat actually turned on us," the sandy haired one, which I fondly called Pukeface because he often had a slight greenish tint to his skin, said to his two other buddies, Hairy Gorilla and Beach Ball.

Hairy Gorilla, who in fact I think looks more gorilla than human, said, "No one would ever do that, Garrett. Especially not at our Lord's own castle… it would be such an honor to go there," he said, a dazed expression in his eyes.

"Get over yerself, idiot," said Beach Ball, sweat pooling on his beefy upper lip as he rubbed his forehead with is robe. Poor, poor Death Eaters, getting all sweaty because they were their freaking black robes in whatever weather we have. I hope he suffers heatstroke and dies. "Only the worthiest get ter go ta our Lord's keep."

"That's why this is such a big deal," said Pukeface. "He was Nirav's son!"

"Don't bloody say things like that!" Hairy Gorilla hissed, looking nervously over his shoulder. "The higher ups won't like it if you spread lies like those…"

"They aren't lies, it's the truth. I swear. I heard it from Dunn."

"Really?" Hairy Gorilla asked skeptically.

Really? I echoed to myself. I knew that Dunn was one of the Death Eaters in charge of our camp. It was doubtful he would even ask Pukeface to pass the salt at dinner, let alone share vital information.

"Well, I overhead him talking about it to some of the others," he admitted.

I snorted quietly. Figures. But I was frustrated too; these idiots knew who this Nirav was and I hadn't a clue.

"So what'd they do ta him?" Beach Ball asked, rubbing his hands together like he was about to enjoy some great feast. Then again, he was probably the cruelest of the three. I loved it when the mosquitoes bit him and all he could do was slap at them. They loved his sweat. I hope one of them is carrying the Nile Virus and he dies. Yes… lovely.

"What do you think?" Pukeface said with an evil grin. "I heard that Miss Bellatrix and Marlin went all out on him."

"Marlin?" Beach Ball asked, a dopey grin on his face. "I want to be just like him some day."

I shuddered at the name. While I had never met Marlin (thank my few lucky stars remaining) I'd heard stories. He was one of the cruelest of the lot and nearly Voldemort's right hand man (Lucius Malfoy still held the top spot). He was the kind of person who would torture someone just for looking at him the wrong way.

"What was he trying to do in the first place?" Hairy Gorilla, probably, if I had to give any of them a positive point, was the smartest of the three. Still rather dim-witted though.

"Free the prisoners at the keep. Lucius caught him though."

"Why would freeing the prisoners be of any use? It's not like they'd have anywhere to go."

"Didn't you hear?" Pukeface said, lowering his voice and forcing me to move closer. "Two others escaped from there a while back."

"What?"

"Seriously?"

Pukeface nodded sagely. "I guess they were trying to keep it under wraps, but Lucius' son got out and so did another prisoner. They were both animagi… wolves, I think."

I was surprised. I knew who Lucius was, and being that I only knew of one son he had, it would be Draco Malfoy. Ferret boy. He was a traitor to the Death Eaters? When? Why?

"And they actually got away?"

"Yeah… they haven't been found yet."

The three of them trailed off into speculating what was for dinner and I quietly crept away. This was news to me, how hadn't I heard of it before? Death Eaters loved to gossip, and even if it had been kept under the table someone before would have had to have mentioned it. Did this happen before or after the other camp prisoner escaped? Where did they go? Who was with Malfoy?

Finally, I had something to concentrate on that the rest of the day didn't seem as cruel as the morning had been. Even dinner seemed better; some odd type of veggie soup instead of the usual gruel. Maybe the road kill population had finally gone extinct? I could only hope.

"Hey."

The soft greeting, not much above a whisper, startled me and I found myself lying on the floor instead of the crudely cut bench I'd been on seconds before. Hm, this floor was actually quite comfy. Maybe I'd start eating my meals down here.

"A little jumpy today, aren't we?"

"Heh," I grinned, pushing myself to my feet and trying to slide back on the bench as quietly as possible. It was during mealtimes that we were allowed to talk to one another. Very, very quietly. I was just thankful I hadn't yelped when I'd tumbled off. And I called myself an auror.

"Just a little," I admitted. "I overheard some of the Death Eaters talking today and it's got my interest."

"Oh?" Parvati smirked. "Do tell."

"We could use some gossip," said Padma, having slid onto the bench on my other side. "Anything to liven this place up a bit."

Here were the two sources of why I haven't gone (completely) crazy yet. Miracously, both Patil twins had been brought to the same camp and although we hadn't really known each other it was impossible to at least not recognize them.

We weren't in the same cabin and the twins normally ended up gardening or stuck in the laundry room so we didn't really see one another except for at meal times. But still, they were the only ones I knew and we stuck together. Talking in the fields was practically forbidden and normally everyone was too tired to even try and strike up a conversation so no making of friends there. And the same could be said for sleeping; you just wanted to lie on your rock hard pillow and sleep. So meals were really the only place.

I quickly explained what I'd heard, glancing over at the guards stationed at the end of the table several times. While it wasn't ground-breaking news or anything they loved to make an example out of nothing.

"Nirav," Padma said, tapping a finger to her chin. "I've heard that name before."

I looked at her expectantly. That was a Ravenclaw for you.

"It was in a newspaper article," she said, "about donating money to some owl relief fund… I remember thinking it was all just some huge publicity stunt, so it had to have been someone I didn't like." She paused and then snapped her fingers. "Nirav Zambini! I'm sure of it. Which would mean his son-"

"-Would be Blaise Zabini," Parvati cut in. "He was that quiet Slytherin, I remember him. He actually helped me clean up a spill in Potions one time."

"Another Slytherin turned traitor?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I wonder who else got out with Malfoy," Padma mused.

Parvati let out a little squeak and we both turned to look at her. "I… I think I know," she whispered, cheeks flushing with excitement. "Do you remember how McGonagall was teaching that course to students who had the potential and wanted to become animagi? You were invited, right Padma? Who else was in class with you?"

"Umm… lesse… Me, Malfoy, Ernie, some sixth year Hufflepuff, Hermione of course, and Pamela, a sixth year in Ravenclaw."

"And who of those people would make the most sense to be kept at Voldemort's and who would actually have been able to turn into an animagus and escape?"

"Hermione," I breathed, an image of the bushy haired girl, book in hand, flashed through my mind.

"If anyone can do anything, it'd be Hermione," Parvati said with conviction. "And I mean, even though her and Malfoy never got along they were both Heads. They should be able to figure something out."

"I hope she's all right," I whispered. Marlin lived at the keep and it was no rumor that he "enjoyed" a woman's company.

"Hey, it's Hermione," Parvati said with a forced smile. "She'll be fine."

"Yeah, don't look so glum, Alicia," Padma said. "Things might be looking up for us finally."

"Do you think we should try and do anything?" I asked, eyeing a brown lump in my soup. Was that edible? "Like try and make a stand?"

"We'd only be killed," Parvati said. "Right now, it's all about survival. We have to do what we can to live, and after that obstacle is out of the way we can try something. Maybe once this war is over we can all be reformers or something and help everyone get back on their feet."

"What are we going to do once we get out of here anyway?" Padma asked, and I couldn't help but smile at the optimism. Not if, when. "I mean, the muggles obviously know about us now. There's no fixing that."

"We'll just have to all get along," said Parvati. "Obviously we would have already overcome our greatest obstacle, right? I don't know what I'll do, but I want to try and find as many friends as I can. I really want to find Lavender," she added quietly.

"I want to find Luna," Padma said. "And Seamus." Seamus had been Padma's boyfriend and they had been going steady for nearly a year. "I hope they're both doing okay."

"I want to find Fred," I said softly, tears filling my eyes at the thought of the redhead. We had been dating for a while and things were actually starting to get serious. I can't imagine a world without him. He could always make me feel better and he loved me for me. I don't know what would have happened to him at the battle… he always was reckless, probably went dashing headlong into the fight. And George would have been right beside him. They would protect each other though. They both had to be all right. Because Fred wasn't Fred without George.

"Fred Weasley?" Parvati asked.

I nodded. "We've been dating for a few years."

"Really? You two? I would have never guessed," Parvati giggled. "Now that I think on it though, you two are cute together."

I smiled, imagining the feel of his arm wrapped around me and the way he loved to rest his chin on top my head. I fit nearly perfectly into the crook of his arm, like two puzzle pieces.

The almost non-disgusting dinner ended too quickly and we found ourselves being herded back to our cabins. Like sheep almost. Except the Death Eaters had wands instead of shepherd's hooks.

My bed had never looked so good. Not that it was much, just a slab of wood with a flimsy blanket and a flat pillow, but when you're tired anything looks comfortable.

I knew tomorrow would bring the same trials and the same fear. But there was always something to live for. I had to have faith that Fred was all right, that he was safe. I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to pretend that it was his arms and that the wall against my back was his body.

"I miss you," I whispered, so quietly even I couldn't hear it.

And as I was drifting off to sleep, I swear I heard his voice replying, "I miss you too."

**Author's Notes:**

So, did anyone guess who it was before I said it? No one was able to guess it in their reviews, but I really did consider Dumbledore for it. But he'll get his own backstory later.

I'm a little upset with how many turned out to read/review the chapter, but I sincerely thank the 17 that did take a moment from their lives to drop a message. They are: LishaChan, WuHaoNi, Susangel, Sumarra, PerchancetoDream87, GummySquid, Samantha, Nami the flautist., Ladiee101, Ninja Nicole, chocolablvr, addictedtofantasy, ThEnAmEsGiGi, Chrissy-Kookla , Mogg, grandpavoldie90, and EarlyLearningCentre. Guy guys are all super awesome and I loved reading everyone's comments!

I'll be trying to update every 3-4 weeks (even with the meager view count) just so I can say I finished a fanfic (believe me, I haven't said that in a while). I was trying to come up with a chapter estimate till this is complete, but unfortuantely I can't seem to map one out xD I don't think it'll exceed 40 chapters though.

Happy reading and reviewing (hint hint nudge nudge. You know you want to) till next time!


	23. I Will Carry You Home

**Black is Our World**

**I Will Carry You Home**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_Here in this town, safe and guarded  
We call it home, a feeling that we share  
Now leave this place, clinging to hope  
In this midnight prayer  
If we hold our breath, float beyond this  
We'll be reborn, I will carry us home_

Are you still alive? Are you scared inside?  
Providence is blind when you're terrified  
Are you still alive? Are you scared inside?  
When we've reached the end of the road  
I will carry us home

Oh no, if all our sin was only a hope  
And meaningless and true  
Now, will I expire holding the wound  
In safety for you  
If we make it through and I can save you  
With this heart I know, I will carry us home

_--Terrified; Story of the Year_

xxx

_xxx_

They had been expecting Bill and Draco back in a little bit. They had not expected for them to arrive in the slamming open of the portrait hole, harsh footfalls pounding up the staircase. Bill tore into the room, Draco slung over his shoulder, the blond banging his fists and demanding what was going on.

"Are we under attack?" Tonks asked sharply, preparing for the worst as Bill heaved Draco onto his bed and then bent over, hands on his knees to get his breath back.

"No," he wheezed, drawing another lungful of air. Running from the bottommost part of the dungeons to one of the highest points of Hogwarts was nothing to sneeze at, and the Weasley had done it in a remarkable time too.

Tonks turned her attention to Draco, the boy nursing his leg slightly while his face was scrunched with pain; the running hadn't been good on him. "What's going on?"

"Dunno," he whispered, lightly massaging above his injury to hopefully reduce the throb. "Bill just… I was just asking him some questions and he completely freaked out."

"Hang on…one second…" the redhead gasped, giving a thankful nod at Dean as he handed him a glass of water. After being given some breathing time, Bill started to speak. "Draco was asking me about Voldemort and why there were prisoners at his castle and not at the camps.

"That made me wonder why they had the people they did; they're all very young and most of them would serve no interest to Voldemort." The three who did interest the Dark Lord were not mentioned; two of them were already dead and it would do no good to jinx the third when they all knew who the only remaining member of the Golden trio was. "But actually, it probably is the ages that Voldemort kept them around."

"I'm not following," Tonks admitted. "Why would their ages be important?"

"When I worked as a Curse Breaker I found out a lot of ugly things," Bill said quietly, staring at his clasped hands. "The worst though I found when I was researching through a few Dark Arts books so I could undo a particularly difficult curse." He paused to steady his words before continuing. "There are sacrifice rituals."

Dean's eyes widened in horror and Luna gasped out right, shaking her head no.

"Such things still exist?" Tonks whispered, terror clouding her features.

Draco who had been silent the entire time spoke. "There are several that the Death Eaters know of. I should know… they performed one at the manor a few years ago."

"They what?" Bill asked, mortified.

"It was during the summer between fourth and fifth year," Draco said quietly. "Right after Voldemort came back. I didn't really know what was going on; I didn't realize that anything was happening until I heard screaming… the Death Eaters must have had fifty muggles in our dungeons… My fath- Lucius told me not to disturb them when I came down to see what was happening. I found out later that they were being sacrificed for some spell… I still don't know what it was."

"And you think that's why they kept them at the castle?" Tonks queried. "For a sacrifice of some sort?"

"A lot of sacrifice spells I read either have really, really specific requirements or a large amount of people to sacrifice. If there were only ten of them it's probably specific requirements."

"I'm not sure if that was the real original purpose though," Draco said. "I mean… I can understand why they killed Harry… but killing Ron and George like that? And then they were going to kill Pansy too. Maybe they didn't know they were going to do a ritual at first."

"Or maybe they didn't know which ones they needed," Tonks said. "Maybe they've been trying to figure out who would fit the requirements and they accidentally got rid of components they needed."

"The problem is, we don't know what spell," Bill said with a shake of his head, now trimmed hair flying loose about his head. "If they have all of the people they need, then why haven't they performed it yet? And if they don't, who are they missing?"

"Hermione and I are the only ones who escaped," Draco said, lying on his side with his legs drawn up to his chest. "Maybe they needed one of us?"

"Whatever the case is," Tonks said, "we need to hurry up and find Dumbledore. I'm sure even if it was Hermione or Draco they needed the Death Eaters can find someone else who fits the requirements in one of the camps somewhere. You're how old, Draco?"

"Eighteen… just turned in June," he said quietly.

"Hermione's eighteen too," Dean said. "She'll be nineteen in a few weeks though."

"So they either need a girl at eighteen, possibly nineteen, or a boy at eighteen. Plus other little details, but we're not going to worry about those since we don't have any idea what they would be. For now, we're going to eat and then rest for a little while longer before we head out. Wand distribution is as follows. Hermione has Remus' wand with her. I will carry mine. Dean, you're in charge of the other wand. As for transportation methods, Draco, you'll be riding with me. Dean, you and Luna will share a horse. Bill, you get the third. Once we meet up with Hermione and Remus we'll re-divide. Everyone got it?"

Solemn nods followed with the double-checking of packs and food supplies. After a few minutes, Tonks called everyone to dinner, although after they received their bowl they retreated back to their beds and ate in relative silence. It was difficult to feel cheerful after such a horrible proclamation.

"You feeling all right?" Tonks asked gently, coming to sit next to Draco on his bed. "You've been awfully quiet all day."

He mustered up a small smile for his cousin, but grimaced when she rested her hand on his knee. "I think…" he said, keeping his voice low, "the poison is spreading faster. I feel… my whole leg is throbbing…"

"It'll be all right," Tonks said, moving her hand to his back and rubbing lazy circle on it. "We'll reach Dumbledore soon."

"And what if he can't help?" he all but whispered.

"Then we'll find someone who can," Tonks replied confidently. "I promise that everything will be all right. You can trust me, right?" He gave a slow nod and she ruffled his hair with a grin. "Everything will be all right…"

xxx

They had planned on resting during those few hours before they set off to join Hermione and Lupin. But almost no one could sleep. Draco lay curled up on his bed in silent agony as the poison grew worse, and nothing would help. Bill was on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, and his brown eyes vacant with lost memories.

Dean had curled up beside Luna, holding her lightly against him and absent-mindedly running his hands through her hair, soothing both of them. She in turn was the only one sound asleep, one of her hands pressed against her wound where spots of blood flecked the bandages.

"Hey," Tonks called softly, rolling off her own bed after having lain there during the near five hours of rest. "Time for us to get going. It's almost three. Dean, if you just want to carry Luna that's fine. Let her sleep. Bill, can you carry Draco? I'll get all the food."

Within minutes they were all walking silently through the halls of Hogwarts, the moonlight casting silver beams across the floor. They reached the horses with no problem and Bill boosted Draco up onto Chocolate, the boy slumping forward to bury his fingers in the warm mane.

Luna was handed off to Bill as Dean mounted and then she was placed in front of the black boy, his arms resting securely around her to keep her on Honey. Tonks tied the bulk of their supplies that they weren't wearing as packs on the back of Pepper, the four broomsticks (Draco's, Dean's, Harry's, and Ron's) stuck up at awkward angles on Bill's horse as well.

"We won't be stopping for breakfast," Tonks said, climbing up behind Draco. "We only have about two more hours of darkness with the stars. It shouldn't be too much of a problem, as Hermione said they'd start marking the trail after an hour so we can still continue even when the stars vanish. We already ate a large meal before though and we need to ration our food supply; even after we find Dumbledore we may have more legwork to do."

Within minutes they had exited the courtyard and the surrounding castle, and were on their way underneath the stars. Dean glanced back at the castle, his face mirroring both despair and hope; they were leaving their haven to find help. They were the last hope the world had left, and it was an almost unbearable weight to shoulder.

Draco was already nearly dozing as they cut into the edge of the forest, his brow creased and jaw clenched. Tonks hoped that he would wake up again, and not remain nearly comatose as he had on the ride to Hogwarts.

The forest was quiet, strange considering the hour. No birds cawed, no wolves hollowed. Even the trees didn't blow; it was as though they were carved out of stone. It was no longer the edge of the Forbidden Forest, it was a dead forest, the animals having fled deeper into the darkest recesses of the woods to escape Voldemort. Despite some being considered evil, if they would not submit to Voldemort then they would be killed, and unlike Death Eaters, the kings of the forest did not obey another.

They traveled in relative silence, only the occasional snort of the horses or the quiet clinking of the reins on the bit intruding upon it. What was there to talk about? Idle chit-chat was much too frivolous for times like these, and voicing their worries about their own situation as well as the spell the Death Eaters would be performing would only cause more panic. And there was nothing they could do, except continue on their current path.

Dean sat still as a statue in the saddle, one arm wrapped snugly around Luna and the other lightly holding the reins, his horse fortunately just following Bill's. Luna shifted slightly and he retightened his grasp so she wouldn't fall off, small smile crossing his lips as she made a sound of contentment, leaning back against him.

She had been his rock since the fiasco began; his mooring in the storm. If she hadn't been spared, not only would he be dead, but he probably would want to be. If he had been the lone survivor, surrounded by hundreds of bodies, many of them friends, he would have gone insane from grief- there would have been nothing to keep him going.

The strangest thing was, before the war he hadn't known her at all. She was Loony Lovegood, the strange Ravenclaw that had a fetish with radish earrings and wearing odd hats to Quidditch games. She was a sport of much teasing and ridicule, despite the fact she was friends with Harry who was liked by most everyone save Slytherins.

They had had brief encounters throughout their last few years at Hogwarts; both having participated in the D.A. and Luna had often come over to the Gryffindor table to sit with Ginny, and being the redhead's boyfriend for nearly a year he had seen Luna. But they had never really talked; a simple hello and an inquiry as to how her day was going was the most they'd ever had.

So, as horrible as it was to say, the war had been good for something. Because otherwise he would have never gotten to know her.

xxx

She was tired. So very, very tired. Her legs burned with the pace they had maintained, and her patience was all but shot.

And her paws hurt. She didn't complain about that very often.

Hermione narrowed her gaze on the werewolf loping ahead of her, pausing it seemed every few seconds to sniff a tree, chase an animal, or howl. She liked to think she was a patient and kind person, but having been going for nearly six hours now with no rest (it was impossible to sit and take a break, Remus would just keep going) she was at the end of her rope.

Her hope had been that Remus would understand her to an extent, but it appeared that her appearance merely kept him from trying to bite her, and maybe, maybe kept him at least in the general direction. She would have hated to see him without guidance if this is what it was like with it.

It was nearly four in the morning though, at least so she thought as they had left around ten, so the moon had to be going away somewhat soon. On one hand, that was great as she would finally be able to rest. On the other hand, not so good because with the moon went the stars and their path. Hermione had been pausing every couple yards when Remus stopped to rip up bark on the tree so that the group following would be able to find them.

Remus gave a short howl and tore off in a new direction, Hermione sighing to herself and forcing herself to sprint and shove her much smaller form against the werewolf to get him back on course. The dark creature snarled at her and snapped his teeth, rivulets of blood staining the sharp canines and muzzle from his snack of innocent animals that had chanced upon him, but turned obediently after a few seconds and some more prodding.

It couldn't be long now, right? Dean had said he believed the answer to the first part of the riddle to be the red mountains he'd seen. They couldn't be much farther away… being a wolf she was able to run much faster than a human could, so they had covered a lot of ground already.

Hermione had already planned out what she was going to do once they hit their destination. First, they'd find some type of shelter so they weren't exposed, and then she was going to sit and not move until the others caught up. She'd packed some treacle tart and she would devour it along with the pumpkin juice she'd had the hindsight to throw in her bag. And then sleep. Remus could stand watch after making her chase after him all night.

Yes, that sounded lovely.

xxx

It seemed that the Death Eaters had more traitors than they ever could have imagined. First Draco. Then Blaise. And now, the most surprising of all, Dameo.

As soon as his hood had been thrown back and his identity revealed, the man fled up the stairs leaving the cell occupants staring after him with confusion and a twinge of hope.

"That was Dameo," Ginny whispered excitedly. "He was the Death Eater that wouldn't let Marlin touch me when they took me in for questioning."

"He said he was atoning," Neville said, brown eyes lighting up with a fire that had long been vanished. "He's coming to help us!"

"Again, I'm pulling the pessimistic role, but we shouldn't get our hopes up," Lavender said, hugging her knees to her. "It could just be a trick so we drop our defenses."

"But Blaise is a little better," Pansy argued.

"A testament to make us believe in his good will," Lavender shot back. "I'm sorry, but I can't help but think of the strings attached to everything. We can't trust anyone."

"Well we need to put our trust somewhere if we want to get out of here. I don't see you coming up with any plans."

"Please don't fight," Hannah interjected, trying to play peacemaker. "Getting angry at each other isn't going to help anything."

"So far," said Fred, "I've only seen this Dameo do something helpful. He helped Ginny and he's healing Blaise. I think until he does something that causes us to doubt him we can trust him for now. He obviously didn't want us finding out who he was, so I doubt he was here on Voldemort's or another Death Eater's orders. We can still work on getting out of here on our own, but there's no need not to use any help that's offered."

"Fred's right," said Neville. "So far all he's done is help us… I don't think he has an alternative motive behind it."

"They all have alternative motives," Lavender muttered, but said so with an inclination of her head, for now allowing Dameo to continue.

"Maybe… maybe we can get Dameo to take the collars off of us," Ginny said excitedly. "Then we can escape once Blaise is better."

"Two things," said Fred. "One, I doubt he'd do that since it could get traced back probably by his wand, and two, we should stop calling him by his name in case one of the other Death Eaters overhears us."

"All in favor of Fluffy say 'aye'!" Ginny cheered.

"You have got to be kidding," Pansy said with a shake of her head.

"Aye!" applauded Hannah. At everyone's pointed looks she waved her hands in defense. "I think it's cute. Plus who else would describe a Death Eater like that?"

"Then on account of being cute Fluffy is now his new name," Neville grinned, amidst the groans of those wanting something not so… fluffy.

"And I think now it's about time for us to get some rest," Fred said, seriousness returning to his features. "It's past eleven and no one has eaten all day. We need to conserve our energy. Blaise is out of danger now, so we need to get ourselves out of danger too, all right?"

Ginny's stomach rumbled loudly at the end of Fred's announcement and she managed a wry grin. "Let's not talk about food, huh?"

The guards normally brought two meals a day; something in the morning and something early evening. Today there had been nothing. Whether this was because they had forgotten or because they were doing it for their own amusement they did not know. They did know that they were awfully hungry and now that they weren't worried sick over Blaise their stomachs were reminding them that they wanted attention too.

Hannah huddled down in the straw strewn corner, Ginny and Pansy settling on either side of her, while over in the other cell Lavender leaned against Neville for a somewhat bony pillow and Fred sat next to her. Blaise slept on oblivious to all that was happening around him, but no longer lying at death's door.

With heartfelt prayers for their safety, for Blaise, for Hermione and Draco, and for everyone who had been caught up in the war, the captives fell asleep, hoping that they could pull through another day.

xxx

The sun was starting to rise.

Soft golden rays struck through the forest top, shining beams filtering through the leafy growth to leave dappled patterns on the ground. The moon still hung low in the sky, a pale shadow of itself from what it had been just an hour before.

"How's everyone doing?" Tonks asked over her shoulder, cracking her back as she did so with a relieved sigh.

"We're good," said Dean, still holding a sleeping Luna on the horse. "How much longer do you think we'll be riding for?"

"I'm good too," Bill called from the back. "How's Draco?"

"Draco's sleeping," Tonks said, trying to keep the worry out of her voice. She had hoped he would have woken up to reassure her that this wouldn't be a repeat of the last time they travelled, but so far he hadn't even stirred. "As for your question, Dean, I'm hoping not more than two or three more hours. We've been making really good time and Hermione left a clear trail… maybe we'll even reach them in an hour, it's anyone's guess."

"I vote the sooner the better," said Dean. "I can't feel my legs anymore."

"Hey, be glad you can't feel them and that they're not burning because you had to walk all this," Tonks joked. "If you want, we can take a few minutes break and stretch. Any objections?"

"Sounds great to me," said Dean, pulling lightly on Honey's reins. "Just let me wake Luna up… she'd probably like to stretch out too…she probably already has a pretty nasty neck cramp."

Bill slid off of Pepper and promptly bent over backwards, neatly trimmed hair that Tonks had cut falling behind his head like a red waterfall.

Luna was a bit groggy when she was finally roused, and despite the fact that she woke up on horseback in the middle of a forest she was quite calm. "I can't believe I slept that long," was her comment as Dean helped her down from the saddle.

"You needed the rest," he said, steadying her as her legs nearly buckled beneath her. "You okay to stand?"

"Oh, I'm all right. I guess my legs just fell asleep. How long were we riding for?"

"About three hours now," Tonks said, doing toe touches. "I was telling the others we'll hopefully run into Hermione and Remus in a few hours, and then we can get a quick bite to eat and figure out where we're going from there."

A few minutes later the group remounted and set off once again in the direction of the torn bark, Luna now awake and making comments every now and then about the passing scenery. And that was how they would pass the next few hours, hoping that soon they would finish the first part of their journey.

xxx

"I am never moving again," Hermione groaned from her bed of grass and leaves. "Never."

She and Remus had reached a point in the star trail where the stars seemed to stop moving in a line and instead almost made a circle. Seeing that they had just reached the edge of the forest and down below there were red rock mountains, Hermione figured they had finished part one.

Instead of heading down towards the rocks, the girl had decided to remain in the forest where they were concealed by the trees. Remus had changed back about twenty minutes ago, the moon finally fading as the sun took its place in the sky. He too was exhausted, and Hermione felt guilty for her early decision to shove watch duty on to him. Changing from one form to the other physically hurt him and he'd exerted himself even more than her.

Plus the fact that Remus had lost whatever he'd eaten while he was a werewolf after finding blood all over his face. So Hermione, feeling bad, had shared her treacle tart and pumpkin juice and both were stretched out beneath a large pine tree; not really in any condition to move if there were danger, but at least both still awake and on a semi-watch.

"Neither am I," Remus said, using his arms as a pillow. "Once the others catch up I'm riding one of those bloody horses and it is not going to throw me off."

"Mmmm," Hermione agreed, half asleep and trying not to fall into slumber completely. "Do you think they'll be here soon?" she asked after a pause.

"Hopefully," Remus said. "We can't afford to waste any time."

Time crept slowly by, Hermione forcing herself to remain awake by counting the needles on a pine branch. She had just reached seven hundred and thirty four (it was a big pine branch) when Remus started next to her and she jerked, losing her place on the branch.

"What is it?" she whispered, watching as the werewolf's eyes zeroed in on a darker part of the forest.

"Something is coming," he murmured, "be prepared."

Hermione gulped and rolled so she was in a crouching position behind the tree. While she wanted to be hopeful that it was the group arriving, the realist side of her told her that it could be something much worse.

For once though, things seemed to be going their way. A few seconds later they heard the muted clip-clopping of the horses' hooves on the pine needle covered ground and a voice whispering, "That's the last mark I see… they have to be around here somewhere."

Chocolate decided at that moment to smell the werewolf's presence and let out a shrill whinny, rearing in terror. It was only by sharp auror reflexes that Tonks was able to keep both herself and Draco on the spooked horse, while Dean tried to calm Honey as his mare pranced nervously.

"You're here!" Hermione cried, dashing out from behind her tree, and then taking slow steps towards the skittish animal. "I was hoping it was you guys."

Reaching up, she caught hold of Chocolate's bridle and rubbed her thumbs over the horse's cheeks and patted her neck, willing her to calm down. "Remus won't hurt you," she murmured into the coarse fur, "he just smells like that to you. But it's okay…"

Within minutes, the horses were secured to tree branches and the group met for a brief respite and a small snack for the horseback group. Draco had woken up when Chocolate reared up, something Tonks was extremely grateful for. He was more withdrawn than he'd been earlier and his face was paler (if it were possible) but at least he was conscious.

Hermione was sitting next to him, running her fingers through his hair and doing her best to draw his attention away from the pain he was in. She knew they had to get to Dumbledore soon and he had to have some all-magical cure for Draco. Otherwise…

Tonks seemed to be thinking along the same lines for not a second later she said, "All right, that's enough of a break. Time to get up and tackle that copper snake, eh?"

"What's after the cliffs?" Dean asked, helping Luna back onto Honey and he himself retrieving his broom from Bill to give the horse a rest.

"Meh, we'll figure it out after we get through this part," Tonks said, nodding her head sagely. "No use crossing that bridge till we come to it, eh? Now, is everyone all set?"

Once more, Tonks was riding in front on Chocolate with Draco. Luna was on Honey, a light rope tying her to the saddle in case she fell asleep, and Hermione had climbed onto Pepper. Bill was riding Ron's old broom at the back and Lupin was settled on Draco's with Dean on his own riding next to Luna.

The wands had been redistributed—Tonks holding hers, Remus with his, and Dean holding Luna's.

"Aye aye, Captain," Dean said, giving a mock salute to which Tonks returned.

"All right then troops…forward…march!"

Leaving the woods was the easy part. It was a slight hill going down to the red sandstone cliffs, but nothing that the horses couldn't handle. It was when they reached the base of the cliff and realized that they had a very, very narrow footpath to traverse.

"Can the horses walk on that?" Hermione asked nervously, gazing into the abyss at the bottom to which she couldn't see the bottom. If they fell, they were gone. Even with people on broomsticks, none of them were in practice or dare-devils like Harry and Draco to catch a person falling at breakneck speeds. Dean had played keeper… guarding was more his job. And while Bill was quite a decent player, even he would probably smash into one of the jagged pieces of rock jutting out all over the cliff sides as he went down.

"Watch your step or you'll face woe," Remus quoted gravely. "I'd say so far we're making good on that riddle."

"Well, horses are very sure-footed creatures," Tonks said. "And it's about three feet across… that's plenty of room for us to go single file I think. Just watch your step and if you see or sense something, let us know. No shouting though; it'll really echo down here."

"Why can't we let a Gryffindor lead?" Draco gulped as Tonks urged her horse forward onto the 'ledge'. "They're supposed to like this sort of thing."

"You too scared to go first?" Dean taunted.

"Says the one who's floating on a broom," Draco bit back.

Dean shrugged in reply, a sheepish grin on his face. "You might have a point there." In fact, it appeared the only Gryffindor not a broom was Hermione, who shook her head.

"I'm already absolutely terrified, in case anyone forgot my fear of heights and of falling," she said, gripping Pepper's mane between her fingers. "I'll very happily follow."

"I'm not even steering," Luna said with a light laugh. "Honey is just following the horse in front. So I really don't think I should be leading. It'd be the blind leading the blind."

"Which leaves us to lead, cousin dear," Tonks said with a grin. "Come on, it can't be too bad."

"I can't even see the end of the trail," Bill said, peering into the distance.

"Hush you," the Metamorphmagus said, "I'm trying to be optimistic here."

And with that Chocolate started down the trail, with the rest following closely behind. Despite the fact that three were on brooms and could technically float over the canyon, the idea of doing so was strangely terrifying and they opted to hover over the trail.

Bill was right though, there didn't seem to be an end in sight. Fortunately, they had started traversing it in the morning… had they waited till later it would have been dark and then insanely dangerous. As it was, they wouldn't be stopping until they either finished the trail or found a wider part of the path that they could sit comfortably in.

Luna was humming quietly beneath her breath as she leaned forward on Honey, trying not to glance to her right where the drop off was. Little bits of stone and sand crumbled down every now and then, but it was nothing to worry about; just the loose debris being shifted.

They had been on the trail for nearly twenty minutes, and as nothing bad happened, Luna slowly allowed herself to relax, the humming not sounding as forced now as it had before. So when she glanced up to look at the cloudless sky overhead and stare into the sun, she missed the spider web of cracks forming in the dusty sandstone on the trail in front of her. All she knew was a second later the ground gave out below her with a deafening crack.

And with a scream she fell, hurtling down into the canyon with boulders falling all around her.

**Author's Notes:**

Dun dun dun…. Now, I said I wouldn't kill any more good characters (except one more… but it's pretty much a given) but that was before I added so many in. Lesse… we've added in Bill, Blaise, Dameo (who cares that he's an OC?), Dean, and Luna. I think that may be a bit much… hmm… what now, what now?

If you want to see what happens then leaving a review might be a good idea. Press that little button down there and give me your thoughts on Luna's outcome. Who knows, maybe not all is as it seems. –shifty eyes-

In any case, your reviews are always appreciated, as is your reading of this fic. I thank all of you who take the time to read it, and I double thank and love those who can spare a moment to review even more. Thanks to those who reviewed last time, even with all the glitching. For those of you that didn't (and that's over 90 percent of you) I'm watching you...

See you next chapter!


	24. Just Shadows on the Wall

**Black is Our World**

**Just Shadows on the Wall**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_They fall in line  
One at a time  
Ready to play  
(I can't see them anyway)  
No time to lose  
We've got to move  
Steady your hand  
(I am losing sight again)_

_Fire your guns  
It's time to run  
Blow me away  
(I will stay, in the mess I made)  
After the fall  
We'll shake it off  
Show me the way_

_Only the strongest will survive  
Lead me to heaven, when we die  
I am the shadow on the wall  
I'll be the one to save us all_

_There's nothing left  
So save your breath  
Lying in wait  
(Caught inside this tidal wave)  
Your cover's blown  
Nowhere to go  
Holding your fate  
(Loaded I will walk alone)_

_--Blow me Away; Breaking Benjamin_

_xxx_

_xxx_

There was no time to think.

One second they were all moving along the trail, the next the rocks were crumbling and Luna was falling over the edge.

Brooms wouldn't be of any assistance; they couldn't dodge falling boulders, untie Luna from the horse, and whisk her back to safety in time. Nor could a broom support a horse.

There was really only one solution. But it had extreme consequences. Not that that mattered to him though. Her life was more important than anything.

Even his.

"_WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA_!"

It was a direct hit. The spell caught Luna and caused both girl and horse to hover over the deadly chasm while the loose rocks tumbled down around them. Several bounced off of Luna and Honey, most but not all of them small. They were certainly going to leave at the least bruises.

Within seconds the rock storm came to an end, the hollow echoes of boulders still falling deeper into the canyon the only sound. Then Honey let out a shrill whinny and everything came back to life.

Dean carefully but quickly guided the horse and rider out of the air and back onto a more solid part of the trail, where Tonks was immediately ready to grab the horse's bridle and hold her down. Luna was trembling something awful, and Bill reached up and untied the rope binding her to the horse, before taking her gently in his arms.

"Luna!" Hermione cried, dashing over and kneeling next to where Bill had knelt down himself. "Are you all right?"

"I thought… I thought… I thought I was going to die," she was finally able to whisper, a trickle of blood making its way down her face from a stray stone.

Hermione pulled her into a tight embrace and didn't plan to let go anytime soon.

"If it hadn't been for Dean…" Luna said shakily, looking up and locking eyes with the dark boy, "I…"

"Those were quite the reflexes," Tonks said, her face still pale from the "could have been". "But we do have a problem now."

"I used magic," Dean said quietly, gripping the wand. "The Death Eaters will surely have picked up on that."

Tonks nodded grimly. "I give it a few minutes before they're swooping down on us. And where we are right now, we can't fight back." Looking around at everyone she said quietly, "We need to make a decision."

xxx

"Our sensors picked up a trace of magic," an unnamed Death Eater said, nearly out of breath from sprinting from one end of the castle to the other, but trying now to show it.

"Really?" Cold, silver eyes trained themselves on the messenger and he did his best not to shudder.

"Yes, Sir. In Sector 017—that's about fifty miles from Hogwarts, give or take. Should I ready the investigation team?"

"No," Lucius said slowly, caressing his snakehead cane. "I believe I will make this excursion myself… it has been much to dull around here of late. Our Lord is always true to his word, and since that whelp has not yet died we cannot amuse ourselves with killing his friends. Pity. Yes, I do think I'll go investigate.

"Contact Guido and have him get the exact coordinates at once. Send Marlin to me as well. I think the two of us should be enough to curb any disturbance, don't you agree?"

While the messenger personally thought that if their enemy did indeed have wands and maybe they wanted to be found, based on their blatant use of magic, then perhaps just two would be outnumbered. But he wasn't quite ready to die yet for voicing his opinion.

"Of course, Sir."

And before anything could happen, the lower Death Eater took off at a quick walk to round up the people and items requested.

If any normal person had walked in on Lucius at that moment, they would have turned and fled. His face was twisted into a nearly insane grin, his eyes lighting with malicious intent.

Perhaps Draco was a part of that group.

xxx

"We are not doing _that_!" Hermione hissed. "How dare you even _think_ of-"

"-You can't!" Luna gasped, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. "There has to be another solution."

"We're wasting time," Tonks said. "At this rate we'll all be captured and we need to be moving _away _from here."

"I'll be fine," Dean said with a weak grin.

"Then I'm staying too!" Luna protested, gripping Dean's arm with all her might.

"You are not staying," Dean said. "I won't let you go to them. I can't… I can't let you be hurt."

"This isn't right," Draco argued, glancing between his cousin and Dean. "We should stay."

"We can't," Tonks said, choking on her own tears. "It hurts to say, but we have a mission. We _have _to find answers or we'll never even have a chance of living. We need to keep moving."

"I want you all to go," the black boy said, doing his best to keep a brave face but the tears welling up and threatening to spill down his cheeks ruined the image. "Please. You have to."

"I'm not going!" Luna screamed, clutching even tighter to Dean. "I won't!"

She screamed louder when Bill, looking as though this was killing him, pulled her away from Dean and hoisted the kicking and screaming girl onto Honey once more, ignoring her sobs and objections.

"You sure?" Hermione whispered, her voice tiny. "Dean… we just found each other again…"

He smiled sadly. "It's the only way, Hermione. I won't let any of you get caught. And since I never learned the rest of the prophecy, those Death Eaters won't get anything from me."

"Why do you Gryffindors always have to be so bloody noble?" Draco choked out, glaring but not really meaning it. "What is with all of you and self-sacrifice? You don't know what they'll do to you! They won't kill you, Thomas! They'll torture you and once you think they're done they'll just keep going. Then you'll wish they would just end it!"

"Enough!" Remus snapped, canines still slightly sharper than normal. "We're all going to respect Dean's decision and honor it. Protesting it isn't making anyone feel better about this, all right? We need to have faith that everything is going to turn out all right. Now we really do need to move before all of this goes to waste."

"You'll come back, right?" Hermione whispered, squeezing Dean tightly.

"I'll try," he replied just as softly. "You have to look after Luna for me, okay Hermione? Please?"

She nodded, not bothering to wipe away the tears. "Of course."

Dean rose and Bill pulled him into a tight hug. "Stay strong, okay?"

"We'll come get you soon," Tonks said, pulling the much taller refugee towards her.

Dean accepted hugs from everyone, albeit an awkward one from Draco who wasn't dismounting on the narrow trail with his leg. Only left now was Luna, who was staring at him with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. Tears were still trickling down her face, but she had resigned herself to her fate. She knew deep down that she was only hurting Dean more by her actions.

"I'm going to miss you," she said softly, allowing Dean to take her hand and thread their fingers together. "You don't have to do this," she said after a pause.

Dean shook his head. "It's the only way to make sure that you stay safe. If anything happens to you, Luna, I don't think I'd forgive myself." He pulled her into a lopsided hug, his height the only thing allowing him to do so. "Take care of yourself, all right? You're going to save the world, you need to be strong."

"You too. You're a lion, right?"

"Right," he agreed. And then, he leaned up and placed a soft kiss on her cheek, smiling softly as she turned a pretty pink. "Be safe, Luna."

Stepping away from her he turned to Tonks. "Here," he offered, holding out his wand. "You'll need it more than I will."

Tonks took it in trembling hands, every instinct screaming at her to stop this plan and save him. But sometimes sacrifices had to be made, and if Dean was willing, she couldn't stop him.

"Take care," she said, squeezing his hands. "And take this… in case you can catch up." His broom was thrust into his hands, the familiar weight of the wood making him the slightest bit calmer.

Louder, she said, "All right, let's go!" As soon as Dean was out of the way of the party, she kicked Chocolate into a gallop and took off down the trail, the rest following behind.

Dean watched them till they were out of sight.

He was alone now. Not for long though. He knew within minutes, maybe even seconds, Death Eaters would be appearing. And he had to get them off of the group's trail. That was what he offered, anyway.

When Tonks said they had to come up with a plan Dean had done just what Draco had said; he acted like a Gryffindor. Obviously the Death Eaters weren't going to stop looking till they found someone that could have used magic. And the rest needed to continue ahead.

He would stay behind… draw their attention. He knew that they would find out about his party… he wasn't skilled at protecting against mind readings like he knew Draco was, but this way they would have time. A little bit at least. And that small amount of time might be all they needed to escape.

Dean backtracked down the trail a ways, hoping to possibly lead the Death Eaters in a merry chase in the wrong direction. He grabbed a decent sized stone for each hand as well—maybe he could actually catch them by surprise and take one or two out.

There was no shrubbery or cracks in which to hide, and three feet wasn't much to move around on. So Dean did the best he could, hiding himself on a bend in the path, hoping that maybe the Death Eaters would appear in front of him. He placed his broom on the ground, ready to grab it in a second's notice.

It didn't take long. Not even minutes later Dean heard a noise he hadn't heard in months… the sound of someone apparating. The resounding pops sounded like gunshots in the silence and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

But there were only two. Had only two Death Eaters come? His first thought was that the entire group would have stayed; between Tonks and Lupin they could have taken them. But the more reasonable part of his brain said this was the right course of action. It would be nearly impossible to fight on the ledge and more than likely someone would get hit in the crossfire.

It sounded like they were ahead of him on the path. But if he went around the bend they'd probably see him. But, he reasoned, he needed them to. Or he had to get their attention somehow. Otherwise they might take off after the others.

And he would not let that happen.

Creeping as quietly as was humanely possible, Dean edged around the corner and spotted two figures about thirty feet down the straight part of the path. Both had their hoods drawn and were looking in the opposite direction of him, the wind whipping their words away.

Dean took a deep breath. This was it. His last moment of being free… maybe his last moment of being alive. And before he could contemplate on it anymore, he whipped his arm with all the power and skill of a chaser and watched the stone arc out and hit the nearest figure square in the back.

Abruptly they both turned, for although it had been a direct hit it really wasn't that heavy of a stone. Dean saw the flash of wood, wands, and that was all he needed. Picking up the extra stone he'd grabbed, he tore down the path away from the figures as fast as his feet would carry him, scooping his broom up in the process.

They pursued, just as he knew they would. Still running at a dead sprint, Dean vaulted onto his trusty Cleansweep Eleven and kicked off, shooting high into the air. While now an open target, he was moving faster. And being above always had the advantage.

As Dean twisted out of the way of a spell shot in his direction, he could feel the Gryffindor in him kicking in. There were only two. Only two. He could take them out, couldn't he? Then he could rejoin the others. It wouldn't take much… just shove them into the canyon… he was moving at speeds fast enough to.

And if it failed then at least he went out with a bang.

Turning the broom around, Dean tore straight down at the Death Eaters, trying to pretend that this was just a Quidditch game and they were the beaters trying to keep him from his goal.

A bright red flash missed him with inches to spare as Dean rolled to avoid it. If he knew nothing else, he knew that the killing curse was green. And the fact they weren't using it mean that whatever they had planned for him was going to be just as bad as Draco said. So he needed to end this before it came to that.

Diving in for the kill, Dean hurled the last rock, grimacing as one of the Death Eaters blasted it out of the air. He didn't recognize the man, who's hood had fallen back. Dark hair was pulled in a neat ponytail, and eyes, colder than the darkest onyx, glared at him.

Dean pulled back up, the gaze unnerving him and distracting him enough to not get close. Whoever these Death Eaters were, they were skilled. They moved like fire, quick to strike and quick to burn, but not kill. Both moved in tandem on the narrow ledge, the small quarters not seeming to bother them.

Taking another shot at it, Dean dove once more, aiming this time to ram the un-hooded figure backwards into the canyon.

The first part seemed to go according to plan. He dodged both spells that were fired and came in for the kill, leaning parallel to the broom for the most speed.

He _felt _the front of the broom connect, driving into the man's chest and shoving him backwards towards the edge. He just hadn't expected the man to suddenly grab onto it.

After all, they had wands. What need was there for a Death Eater to actually use brute force? Dean had never heard of them doing so before.

But obviously times had changed. And not for the better.

A strangled cry was all Dean managed as the man bodily swung the broom, using the momentum to crash Dean into the side of the cliff, his body actually cracking and breaking the stone in from the pressure.

He crumpled to the ground, pain screaming through his body. But he couldn't stop… he had to move… he had to…

Burning agony burst through his head as he felt himself being lifted by his hair. _"No, no, no! This isn't happening!"_

"That hurt, you little bastard," the man said, giving his head a shake before smashing it into the cliff. "You're lucky I used to be a beater and know how to take a hit." Then, after a pause, he chuckled darkly and added, "Well, perhaps not so lucky for you."

"Come now, Marlin, quit toying with the poor boy. Where's his wand?"

Marlin, one hand still holding Dean up, patted him down. "He doesn't have one. Dropped it?"

The second figure stepped in front of Dean, and the boy bit back a gasp. Of course it just had to be Lucius Malfoy, didn't it? Voldemort's bloody right hand man.

"No…" Lucius said softly, staring at Dean who glared right back, the fact ruined by the constant winces from having his hair yanked out of his scalp. "I think he gave it to someone else. Am I right?"

Dean said nothing, trying to drudge up any happier memory that didn't deal with his friends to block out Lucius' probing.

"Are Bella and I going to get another subject to play with?" Marlin asked, sadistic smile twisting his face. "It's already been so long…"

Lucius gave a curt nod. "This one has some information for us, I think. But it wouldn't be right to look at it without our Lord present as well.

"Let's take him back… see if you can't torture some information out of him. Find out where he's been. Who he's with. What he's doing out here, in the middle of nowhere," Lucius said, glancing around the barren land. "And then we can present him to our Lord as a gift. He seems to be rather restless what with Potter's death, wouldn't you say?"

Marlin grinned wickedly. "I think I can handle that."

Dean's heart dropped as Marlin released his hair and placed tight, coarse rope binds around his wrists and ankles instead. Gone now were Hogwarts days. Even days with Luna. Now all he had to look forward to was torture as they asked for information he didn't know and would not give up.

He wouldn't die though. They'd keep him alive, torturing him slowly until he wished they would kill him.

He was weak. Much too weak.

And only the strongest would survive.

xxx

The castle was in an uproar.

Well, as much as an uproar that a castle run by Death Eaters who weren't supposed to let the prisoners know anything could possibly be.

It had been two days now since Dameo had first come down to treat Blaise. When he came back the second time he had warned them that they were not to say anything or they would all be in dire trouble. Since they really didn't talk to anyone else, it wasn't a problem.

Blaise was getting better, which was pissing Marlin off to no end. He wanted to know why the boy wasn't dead yet so he could play with the other prisoners. Said prisoners were confused (but grateful) that Marlin seemed to be keeping some odd sort of promise to not touch any of them until the Slytherin was dead. At this rate, they could rest easy for quite a while.

The cream continued to make Blaise look ill, but he was starting to come back around, awake often for small periods of time. Dameo said it was natural he would sleep so much; the technique he was using used up a lot of the body's natural energy.

In fact, the group wouldn't have known anything was amiss if Dameo hadn't come barreling down the stairs faster than Harry caught the snitch.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked, looking at the man almost with concern.

Dameo didn't answer, just let himself into Blaise's cell and reapplied the salve.

"Dameo?" Pansy prompted after a few minutes of silence.

When Dameo did visit them, he came at night. And although they didn't have windows or clocks, they all knew it couldn't have been past noon.

He exited the cell just as silently and turned towards Ginny's cell. "Take these," he said softly, thrusting into her hands some pepper-up potion, bandages, and some of the cream he'd been using on Blaise. "Hide them."

"What's going on?" Pansy demanded as Ginny placed the medical supplies in the far corner.

"Screenings are going to start soon on all Death Eaters visiting the prisons, and it would be impossible for me to bring anything other than a wand down here. If you want your friend to be treated, you'll have to hold those for me for now."

"But that's not all," Fred accused. "You would never risk your cover coming down here in the morning. And Blaise can't use bandages… they'd know someone was here."

Dameo sighed. The sound was one of defeat and great sadness. "Someone used a wand just a little while ago."

Gasps filled the chamber. "What?" Lavender whispered. "You mean someone's out there?"

"Not anymore. Lucius and Marlin went to inspect where they located magic and found a wizard there. They brought him in and will likely be trying to obtain information soon."

Neville shuddered. Obtaining information was the same as torture in Death Eater lingo.

Continuing, Dameo said, "The wizard, however, did not have a wand on him, so it's come to the conclusion that he was with others."

"Where did they find him?" Hannah asked softly.

"About fifty miles from Hogwarts," Dameo said, looking on in almost mild-amusement as everyone's eyes widened. "No doubt it is most likely a previous classmate or professor of yours. I have no other details other than that so it's no use asking me."

"Is some of this stuff for whoever it is then?" Ginny asked.

Dameo gave a curt nod. "If he lives to see it, that is. I don't know what is going to happen to him, but it will not be good. I'll be going now… I won't be back for a while. Your friend is in stable condition and should be on the mend very soon. My advice is to talk to him… the more he hears your voices and remembers the more his mind will piece itself together."

And with that, Dameo swept back up the stairs, just as quickly as he'd come.

"Well," Pansy said, "if there has to be a bright side to this, at least they didn't find Hermione or Draco."

"It's probably someone we know," Hannah said quietly, hugging her knees. "And now…" the girl, always very empathetic, felt tears start trickling down her cheeks. "And now…"

"It'll be all right," Ginny said, looping an arm around the brunette's shoulders. "Whoever it is lasted this long. He'll be all right."

No one looked reassured.

"Fluffy is being surprisingly helpful," Fred said, wincing at the nickname. "Do you think…maybe… we could convince him to let us go?"

"Where would we go?" Lavender asked matter-of-factly. "We don't have wands, we can't use magic, there are Death Eaters everywhere… as soon as we get out they'll just drag us all right back."

"But we'd be out of here…for at least a little while. I just want to see the sky," Fred said quietly. "It's been so long since I've seen the sky."

"Do you think it still looks the same out there?" Pansy asked. "Whenever I think of it now, everything is grey. I can't even picture a blue sky with clouds and sunshine."

"As far as I know, there isn't any spell to change the weather. So we should still have blue skies," Ginny said. "Voldemort can't take that from Mother Nature."

"Well, how about Mother Nature creates a gigantic tornado that wipes out all the Death Eaters and lets us live. I vouch for that one," Fred said with a grin.

"Keep dreaming," Lavender said, giving him a friendly nudge. "I for one would rather have an earthquake that swallows them all and then seals back up. I'd like to see them come back from that."

"Oh, I'm so glad you're having such fun planning our deaths. I know how exciting it can be… I plan yours all the time."

They all whipped around so quickly it was a wonder their necks didn't snap. When had he…?

"What, not happy to see me?"

"No, you vile bastard, I'm bloody delighted," bit out Pansy, shooting the dark haired Death Eater her most lethal glare.

"Oh, you wound me. And here I was going to bring you some more company. But I guess you won't be meeting him for a while… we have an appointment to keep with torture chamber number two today and we can't be late."

"Who are you going to destroy now?" Pansy asked, the only one who appeared to have the nerve to talk down to Marlin.

He gave an elegant shrug of his shoulders. "He won't tell us his name. I'll find out soon enough though," he grinned, insanity taking over his features. "Ta."

"Wait!" Fred shouted.

Marlin ignored him and continued walking away, almost skipping with anticipation.

"At least he didn't curse any of us," Lavender muttered. "That was a bit too much for me."

"Damn it," Fred swore, hitting his closed fist on the wall. "We can't let them do this! I can't sit back _again _while they hurt someone else."

Neville put a calming hand on Fred's shoulder, the action speaking more than any words could. Physically slumping, Fred loosened his fists and settled into an air of defeat.

They were just shadows on the wall - there, but not able to do anything. Not able to save anyone.

Just shadows on the wall.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes: **

And everyone is finally traveling on the same timeline again. And whaddaya know, our two 'groups' have finally overlapped. And despite how dark and dreary everything appears to be, don't worry. Things have to start looking up eventually...

Well, one reader so kindly wrote that I take too long to update. Which I find quite ridiculous because I've been updating at the **least** once a month the last few chapters, which isn't too shabby for a full-time college student working two jobs plus being a writer and graphic artist for the newspaper and an editor for yearbook. At least I thought it was decent.

So now, I give you the game ball. It's in your court now. I'll update based on how many people review/view the chapter. The more people that read (hit count) and review the quicker I'll get new chapters out (it's called motivation, people). Who knows, maybe you'll even see once a week updates! All updates will be on Sunday though so you can make sure to look for a chapter then.

Want the next chapter up quickly? Then review and we'll see. Hope to hear from you!


	25. I'm Not Afraid of Tomorrow

**Black is Our World**

**I'm Not Afraid of Tomorrow **

_xxx_

_xxx_

_Is it any wonder why I'm scared?  
If I was a little younger would I care?  
I'm feeling like the walls are growing stronger  
I don't know if this cage can hold me any longer_

_You never dreamed you'd have to live your life so guarded  
Cuz they'll find a way to make you feel discarded_

_I'm not afraid of tomorrow  
I'm only scared of myself  
Feels like my insides are on fire  
And I'm looking through the eyes of someone else_

_I never thought they'd want me to go even faster  
Never thought I took my foot off the gas  
Everybody loves to be in on the pressure  
But I know they're all waiting for the crash_

_You never dreamed you'd have to live your life so guarded  
Cuz they'll find a way to make you feel discarded  
Things have changed, you've become a complication  
Can't make it through another day's humiliation_

_--Tomorrow; SR-71_

_xxx_

_xxx_

The trail was finally at an end.

Red rock gave way to scraggly bushes and then finally to grass. But the change of scenery didn't make for conversation. The whole trip through the mountains had been silent. Even the horses had been quiet, seeming to sense that something was wrong.

Everyone was tired though. They'd been on horseback or broomstick for nearly seven hours now… the afternoon was drawing to a close and early evening was beginning to set in. Tonks had asked once if anyone had wanted a rest break, but the answer had been a muted 'no'.

The trail never really widened to a comfortable ledge, and everyone just wanted to get out of the canyon. So they had pressed forward.

Now though, since they were on stable ground and it was clear to see that everyone was physically and emotionally drained, Tonks decided to call a halt for the night. A little ways up was a grove of trees, which she directed the group to where they'd at least have some shelter.

No one spoke as they dismounted— silently freeing the horses and feeding them, and then spreading out two large blankets on the ground for everyone to sit on. Draco had given in to exhaustion hours before and he was sound asleep when Bill lifted him gently from the horse and placed him on the quilt.

Tonks dug around in one of the packs and removed some bread, apples, and a canteen of water.

"I'm not hungry," Hermione whispered when Tonks held it out to her. Turning to give it to Luna, the Ravenclaw shook her head and curled up on her side.

"We have to keep up our strength," Tonks said, but the group declined, save Remus who took an apple. Being a werewolf really had tired him out. "At least drink a little water then. You need to stay hydrated. Especially you, Luna."

Relenting, Luna took a small sip before going back to her curled up position, a shirt, which Tonks recognized as the spare Dean had packed, clutched to her chest and damp with her tears.

Tonks looked at Remus, who gave a small shrug and a shake of his head. Even he could think of nothing to say.

Bill was looking resigned to, having made it his duty to watch over Luna like Dean had, sitting next to her and smoothing her hair. Hermione had Draco's head resting on her lap, busying herself with running her fingers through his hair.

"All right, it's been a long day and I know no one feels like talking," Tonks said, her voice low. "So I'm going to hand out blankets for everyone and you can go to bed when you feel like it. If you're hungry, there's bread and apples plus some water right here," she said, gesturing at the base of one of the trees, all of the food in a sack. "Tomorrow morning we're going to head for this pond.

"Just try and get some rest." She looked like she wanted to say more, but shut her mouth. Everyone already knew to pray and hope… that's what they'd been doing this entire time. She'd only feel like a heel for saying it again.

Tonks made her way over to the saddle packs once more and pulled out the blankets they had tightly folded just last night. It seemed so long ago. Once they were distributed, she settled down next to Remus and pulled her own blanket over her shoulders.

The werewolf's arm wrapped about her shoulders and pulled her close.

"I feel so useless," she whispered, black hair falling limply around her face.

"Don't say things like that," Remus said. "You're doing more than I ever could."

"I just… we're the adults, Remus. I feel like we should be able to make everything better."

"They're not children anymore, Tonks. They know we can't fix everything."

She sighed. "I know. But I wish we could."

Remus just hugged her close and watched as the sun slowly set over the mountains.

xxx

The mornings always looked brighter than the night. The concept held true for their group as well.

Hermione had been a flurry of activity, rousing everyone by eight and packing up bedrolls, serving out fruit and water for breakfast, and brushing down the horses.

"Did I miss something?" Tonks asked once Lupin came by to give her a second wake-up call.

"The sooner we get to Dumbledore the sooner we can save Dean and the others," Hermione said, attacking the bits of dirt in Honey's coat.

"Not to burst the bubble of enthusiasm," Lupin said, "but the riddle states something about a midnight breeze. We're going to have to wait till then to actually do anything."

The girl gave him a mock glare. "But what if the pond is farther than a day's ride? We need to get a good start so we can make sure that we'll actually be there by midnight… whether that's today or tomorrow, we should get started as soon as possible."

Remus grinned. "Can't argue with that logic. Did Draco wake up yet?"

Hermione's cheerfulness died just the slightest as she gave a tiny little nod. "For a few minutes… I got him some water and he went right back to sleep."

"All of this movement isn't good for him," Tonks said, placing a hand on her cousin's forehead. "He's running a fever again."

"Then let's hurry and find Dumbledore," Luna chimed in softly, still clutching Dean's shirt in her hands, but accepting the banana Hermione had offered.

"Urm… just one question," Bill said. "Which direction now?"

"That's… a good question," Tonks said after a pause.

"Well," Hermione said, "behind us are the cliffs where we came from. To our right it looks like it's going to turn into forest soon… and the riddle said something about towards the trees, right?"

"Yes, but it said it after the pond… so are we not supposed to look for trees until then?" asked Remus. "Or do we head into the forest now."

"Well, let's look at the other options still," Hermione countered. "On the right it's really dry because it's following the mountains… so I doubt we'd find a pond there. And straight ahead is all grassland. So we're either going into the grass or into the forest."

"Since it didn't say trees until after the pond, I think we should go straight," said Tonks. "After all, that's the direction we were headed in the first place so it would make sense to just keep heading forward."

"I think the grass works better too," Hermione said. "If we're supposed to go through the pond towards the trees and we're in the middle of a forest I figure it would be a bit redundant and we wouldn't know which direction."

"I'm voting for straight ahead as well. Does anyone have any objections?" queried Remus.

Luna gave a shake of her head and Bill said, "Works for me."

Within minutes they had all packed up, eaten, and started again on their "trail", keeping to the tree line to provide a little bit of coverage.

"So how far do you think this lake is going to be?" Bill asked once they were moving.

Tonks glanced down at Draco. "Hopefully not far… Both Luna and Draco really need to see a healer. And I know that if anyone can help them, it'll be Dumbledore."

"I'm sure we'll all be there faster than you can say "Quidditch,"" said Remus.

"Quidditch," Bill joked, earning a giggle from Hermione and a small smile from Luna.

"I wasn't serious," Remus said dryly.

Bills shrugged. "Worth a try, right?

No one could argue with that.

xxx

Well, Draco was right. More than right, actually. Slytherins were capable of knowing things after all.

Dean allowed himself the smallest of smiles, but it disappeared all too soon as just the action of moving the muscles in his bruised and bloodied face sent ribbons of pain through him.

He knew it wouldn't be long now till they actually invaded his mind. With his luck Voldemort would get to do the honor. He was rather proud of himself, actually.

Not one name had slipped past his lips, not one hint on what he'd been up to. He didn't mention where they were going, who was with them, or what they were doing. Nothing. Marlin and Lucius had been at it for hours and he still hadn't cracked.

It helped actually that he'd bit through his tongue earlier on. Speaking was much more painful so he was inclined to do it. But he knew he was wearing down. It must have been at least a few hours… or at least it felt like that long. The only other time he'd felt pain similar to this was on the battlefield. But at least then he knew he would die and the pain would go with him.

Here, they were doing all they could to keep him alive. Well, alive in Death Eater terms. If they hurt him too much, stabbed too deep then they patched him up enough so he wouldn't bleed out on their table. Lucky him.

The only thing that kept Dean somewhat sane and hopeful was that he might get to see his friends that Hermione had said were locked up here. He just hoped they were all still there, because with the way his life was going one of them would have been killed.

Footfalls sounded close to his head and Dean tensed, expecting a kick in the head or ribs like these Death Eaters were prone to doing. Instead, he found himself being dragged to his feet by his hair. Why was it always the hair?

Ah, of course it would be Marlin, Dean winced, wishing he was bald. "You're in luck," he said, starting to walk and dragging Dean behind him, the boy's hands tied behind his back so he couldn't break free from the grip. "The Dark Lord wishes to see you. And I'm sure you'll be on your very best behavior."

"Like hell," he groaned, spitting out a small mouthful of blood.

"What'd you say?" Marlin growled, hauling Dean to eye level. "It wasn't a request. And if you choose to disobey what I've done to you will look like a tea party. There won't be anything left of you to throw in a cell."

Dean remained silent and Marlin took that as obedience. Still not relinquishing his grip on the boy's hair, he dragged Dean from the room and towards wherever Voldemort was. It turned out to be an "office" or sorts, which completely destroyed any image Dean had of Voldemort only living in dungeons. Thank God he wasn't in some muggle clothing… that would have been the end of it.

The Dark Lord was in fact wearing his customary black robes and seated on a high-backed chair behind an ornate desk that had only a penseive on it, the pool swirling with memories.

"My lord," Marlin said, sweeping into a bow and shoving Dean forward. "Here is the prisoner you requested."

Dean shivered as the blood red eyes turned all of their attention on him and he flinched underneath Marlin's hand, which was clamped painfully on his shoulder.

"Ah," Voldemort exhaled, rising to his feet. "A student from Hogwarts I presume. It's a shame you didn't continue hiding out… you may have lived longer. Now, tell me, where were you heading?"

He clenched his teeth and refused to look up at the figure, hovering just inches away.

"Has he told you anything?" Voldemort asked, turning to look at Marlin.

The dark haired Death Eater shook his head. "No, my lord. He's also damaged his tongue so he's less inclined to speak. He can though if he wanted to."

"Did you not think to heal him so he might speak?" Voldemort asked dangerously.

"N-no," Marlin said, even his status not saving him from his wrath. "My lord," he added quickly.

"Crucio," Voldemort said lazily, watching as Marlin grew rigid but took the punishment silently. Dean shuddered, wondering what exactly was in store for him.

"Invading one's mind is such a personal thing," Voldemort said, grabbing Dean's chin and forcing him to meet his crimson eyes. "You can either tell me what I want to know or I'll force the answers from you."

"I'm…not saying…anything," Dean managed to choke out, his injured tongue throbbing a reminder to not move it.

"Very well," Voldemort said almost pleasantly.

Then darkness approached and blacked out everything that Dean could see. Save for a pair of blood red eyes, staring deep into his soul and penetrating the recesses of his mind.

And then pain. So, so much pain.

xxx

"Is that…?"

"Dean! Dean, can you hear me?"

"What did they do to him?"

The black boy slowly came to, voices that were vaguely familiar washing over him like a receding tide. There, but constantly drifting away.

Everything hurt. The thought of even trying to open his eyes hurt, as a hippogriff may as well have been standing on the lids for all the effort it took to try to open them. A dull ache was throughout his body, but when he shifted ever so slightly lightning bolts of agony laced through him.

His mind was hazy… what had happened? Where was he?

It hurt too much to think. Why was he in pain? Had he been injured in a Quidditch game? No… that wouldn't hurt this badly. Madam Pomfrey would have fixed him right up.

No… something else happened. But…

Dean gave a startled jerk as his brain finally caught up. Voldemort! That's right… He had been captured! Voldemort performed _legilimens_ on him…

Although he'd already lost a lot of blood and was more ashen than ever, Dean paled as one thought swam to the surface.

What had Voldemort seen?

That alone was enough to dull the pain as he wracked his brain for images that Voldemort had seen. He knew who was in their group… where he and Luna had been… everyone's back story… but… he didn't know where they were headed. Dean could have cried in relief.

Tonks had said they'd explain the rest of the prophecy when it applied, so he knew nothing following the copper snake. And hopefully the group would be long gone by the time the Death Eaters went to the end of the trail.

And as the pieces began to click Dean realized that the people most likely calling him were his friends and classmates… but would any of them be missing from when Hermione and Draco were here last?

He was almost glad it hurt too much to open his eyes… he could put off the inevitable for just a few moments longer… just to send a quick prayer that everyone was there…

The voices, which he realized had been calling his name, were now dying off into sobs and fervent murmurings. He was scaring them with his silence. And he needed to let them know he was still alive.

With every part of his body screaming in protest, Dean pushed his hands against the floor and raised himself up, his back fortunately encountering a wall which he slumped wearily against.

Now though he had to open his eyes. And millimeter by millimeter he forced them open, the dim lighting hurting at first but slowly diminishing. He was all alone in a cell, propped up on the far wall from the cells with other occupants. Across from him was a pale skinned boy with a shock of dark hair.

Zabini, he recognized, although the Slytherin boy did not seem to share the same recognition. He in fact seemed to be asleep. Strange though, Hermione and Draco hadn't mentioned him.

Next to Blaise and diagonal to Dean's cell he recognized Fred Weasley with Neville and Lavender.

"Hey, you awake?" Neville called quietly, the boy's cheeks more gaunt then Dean had ever seen, but his brown eyes still retained their warmth. Lavender was gazing at him, tears running down her cheeks as she clutched Fred's shirt sleeve.

The black boy tried to speak, but only a trickle of blood came from his lips. God, why did everything have to hurt?

"Okay, don't say anything," Neville hurriedly said, watching with growing concern as Dean let out a low, hoarse cough and spat out blood.

Where were the others? Were they in the cell next to him? Dean slowly turned his head and gazed at the solid stone wall, as if expecting to be able to see through it.

He needed to talk… he needed answers. But his body just wanted rest and Dean didn't know which one to listen to. So he figured he'd try to speak again and just not move… it should satisfy both. But oh, his tongue really hurt.

"W-where are the… others?" he managed to get out, ignoring the blood trickling out of his mouth as best as he could.

"Right here," said Ginny's voice from the wall. "Next to your cell. Me, Pansy, and Hannah. We're all here."

Fred though looked curious. "Others?" he repeated. "How did you know?"

"He-Hermione," he managed to get out, spitting out another mouthful of blood.

"Hermione?" Lavender said, brightening. "You saw Hermione? And Draco?"

Dean nodded, his movements sluggish and his body clamoring for rest.

"Oy, don't go to sleep," Fred intoned. "Dean! Wake up!"

Their fellow Gryffindor gave a feeble moan and weakly shook his head and leaned it more comfortably back against the stone.

He was so tired.

"You can't go to sleep! C'mon, Dean!"

He ignored them though, their voices getting farther and farther away. He just needed to sleep. Just a little bit. He'd feel better then, he was sure of it.

The sound of metal clanking softly near him was of no consequence and Dean allowed his eyes to drift closed, the darkness like a warm blanket.

But the warmth turned to icy coldness as he felt two hands grip his shoulders, nails digging into his bare flesh, and shake him.

Panicked eyes flew open, the sudden movement causing all of his slowly sleeping nerves to flare up and pronounce their pain. His eyes met a pair of dark brown orbs, the barest hint of concern but more prominently revealed urgency.

He did not recognize this man.

Seemingly satisfied that Dean was awake for the moment, the man exited the cell and stood in the center of the hall, the dim torchlight casting flickering shadows over his face.

"Dameo, what's going on?" Ginny asked. "Why are you back so soon?"

"Soon?" he almost snorted. "It's almost midnight… over a day since I last visited. Why, do you not like my company?"

More seriously he said, "I am setting you free. Your friend is supposed to die within the hour from his injuries and then two of you are to be killed."

"What?" Hannah whispered.

"Marlin had an agreement that he would not kill anyone until Zabini died. But, since it has been several days and he has not, the Dark Lord has agreed to terminate the proposal. You, Longbottom, and you," he said, nodding at Lavender, "will be dying tomorrow along with Zabini. I will not allow that to happen."

"So you're letting us go?" Fred asked, disbelief evident.

"I will attempt to help you escape," he amended. "I cannot guarantee anything."

"But if you get caught…" Ginny whispered.

"My life is forfeit. If I am not able to save you then my sins are unredeemable and I would rather die." Quieter, speaking to himself he said, "I will not live with myself if I cannot redeem myself."

"The collars," Neville said, tugging at his. "What about them?"

"The spell to undo them is in a book that I will bring you to. However, once we open the book an alarm will sound and it will not be long before the castle is alerted. We must be quick and we must be quiet. Do you understand?"

They nodded.

"I have another wand," Dameo said, withdrawing a second from his robe pocket. "Which of you will be able to use it most efficiently and quickly?"

"Fred,"said Neville with conviction.

"Me?"

Pansy nodded. "You're quick and inventive. And you're the oldest. You take it."

"What about Blaise and Dean?" Ginny asked as Dameo unlocked their cells and let them out into the hall, all of them gathering together like a herd of sheep.

"Blaise is well enough once we get him moving," said Dameo, entering the Slytheirn's cell and helping the boy to his feet, Blaise blinking around dazedly. He'd improved since yesterday and was missing only some gaps in his memory. When he'd awoken after the last healing session he seemed to know what was going on for the most part, and for that they were thankful. He was slowly improving, but still slept quite a bit.

"And Dean?"

"Where are the medical supplies I gave you yesterday?"

Pansy retrieved the bundle and handed it silently to the former Death Eater. He in turn went back to visit Dean and started to perform healing charms, a soft green glow enveloping Dean's wounds and melting them away.

Once the blood started to clear, the group couldn't help but notice a giant scar permeating the entire left side of Dean's chest.

"What happened?" Lavender asked quietly.

"It's an older scar," said Dameo. "A few months old. He likely received it at the battle. Nothing I can do about it now." A few seconds later Dameo said, "I'm healing the severest of his injuries, but we don't have time for a full out healing. No doubt Marlin will be down soon to gloat and we need to be gone."

Dean too seemed to be feeling the effects of the healing as he was regaining color and his eyes were becoming more alert, until he was actively glancing around at everyone.

"You hear what he said?" Fred asked, once Dean's eyes locked with his.

"Yeah. We getting out of here?"

"We're going to try," Fred grinned.

"Ready, Blaise?" Pansy asked, looking at her longtime friend in concern.

He managed a wry smile. "I'm standing, aren't I?"

After helping Dean to his feet, bandages now wrapped tightly around the injuries Dameo hadn't treated, they all silently followed the older wizard, casting furtive glances over their shoulders, half expecting someone to appear and stop them.

They weren't afraid of tomorrow.

They were afraid of the present and all the dangers lurking in shadowed corners.

But it was time to put the foot on the gas and go because this was their only chance.

And they were going to take it.

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes: **

And the action is starting to pick up! Only a few more chapters till BOW is finished. You know how in high school you had to learn about the "plot" of a story and all that falling action, climax, etc. etc. stuff? Well, I was never good at following those. So the ending is coming up quickly and it's gonna be good. I hope.

As always, reviews are appreciated. Hope to hear from you! Remember, the ball is in your court. I'll update based on how quickly you all want me to. So read and review!

Thanks so much to those of you that did review-- you keep me encouraged to get the next chapter up. For those that just favorite/alert it, I'd love to hear from you. Drop a comment this chapter perhaps? And for those that just lurk... well, maybe you'll feel generous.

Hope everyone is having a nice Easter (if you celebrate) and eating lots of chocolate. This is my gift to you. If you'd like to return the favor, I love jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, Peeps, and best of all, reviews!


	26. I Gotta Get Through This

**Black is Our World**

**I Gotta Get Through This**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_Give me just a second and I'll be all right  
Surely one more moment couldn't break my heart  
Give me 'til tomorrow then I'll be okay  
Just another day and then I'll hold you tight_

_When your love is falling like the rain  
I close my eyes and it falls again  
When will I get the chance to say I love you  
I pretend that you're already mine  
Then my heart ain't breaking every time  
I look into your eyes_

_If only I could get through this  
If only I could get through this  
If only I could get through this  
God, gotta help me get through this  
_

_I gotta get through this  
I gotta get through this  
I gotta make it, make it, make it through_

_--Gotta Get Through This; Daniel Bedingfield_

_xxx_

_xxx_

Midnight was nearly upon them, but luck seemed to be in their favor. For once.

They had been traveling pretty much nonstop all day, pausing briefly for lunch around noon and again later in the afternoon for a short rest break.

Draco had woken up and was semi-coherent, talking quietly with Hermione about a book they had both read back at Grimmwauld. Bill was keeping Luna company for the most part, but they all really rode on in silence.

Night was starting to approach if the darkening sky was any indication and Tonks had wanted to call a halt for the night. But Hermione was persistent… just another hour. Maybe they'd find the lake.

And lo and behold they had. Although ocean might have been a more accurate description. They stood on one bank and all the way across the water they could just make out the tops of trees, hazy from the distance.

"We have to swim all the way over there?" Bill asked in disbelief. "There's no way."

"Do you think midnight has something to do with it?" Hermione asked, dismounting from her horse and stepping towards the water. "Otherwise why would it specify a time? Maybe something is going to happen."

"Unless a boat magically appears we are not getting across," Bill said, dipping his hand into the lake. "The water is cold too and we can't light a fire; we might be found. And staying wet I'm sure we'll catch a cold."

"The horses don't like the lake," Luna observed as Honey balked nervously away from the shore. "I think it is magical."

"I just hope the giant squid's relative isn't living down there," Tonks said, eyeing the water suspiciously. "It looks rather deep and enchanted lakes are real. There may even be a kelpie."

"At least we're not in Scotland," Hermione said with a weak grin. "But why don't we wait and see if something happens? It's almost midnight, right?"

"Probably," said Remus. "None of us have working watches so we can only guess. But I can't imagine it being past midnight yet. We'll just have to hope we came at the right time."

"Might as well have a quick bite to eat in any case," said Tonks. "Who's up for some bagels? No cream cheese though."

"Do you have cinnamon raisin?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"I've got that, plain, and blueberry. Come and get one," the auror said, placing them all out on a paper plate and setting it on top of an outlaid blanket.

Hermione grabbed her favorite and a blueberry for Draco and went to sit down next to her co-head. "So," Draco said, twirling the bagel but not eating it, "do you think Dumbledore will really be there?"

She placed a comforting hand on his knee. "I'm sure he will be. And if he isn't, something will be there to help you."

He gave a small nod but didn't look convinced, eyes straying to his injured leg.

"Hey," she said, tapping him lightly on the forehead, "only positive thoughts. We'll get through this, okay?"

"I'm trying," he said, face still forlorn. "It's just… I keep thinking of the worst outcome. Unlike you, I'm a pessimist by nature."

She squeezed his hand and leaned her head against his shoulder and let out a deep sigh. "I'm not this optimistic person either. But I do try to look at the good things that have happened and go from there. We found this lake, right? So that's a good thing."

"And it's huge, cold, and we have no way to cross it."

"But we found it," she countered with a small laugh. "That's the important thing. Everything else is just details."

"Very important details," Draco grinned. "Unless you want to swim across?"

She shuddered. "Ugh, no thank you. Next to flying, swimming is another hated activity."

"You don't like swimming?"

"I like it when I'm in a pool and there's nothing in there to eat me. Otherwise, no. Whenever my parents and I go to the beach I just sit on the sand and read a book. I don't care if they say there aren't any sharks, there's no point taking the off chance that there are."

"So I'm assuming we won't be having a date on a tropical island anytime soon?" he chuckled.

"_You _can go on the tropical island and swim and I'll watch you from a safe distance," she laughed. "And then you can just wait on me hand and foot with piña coladas."

"Yes, my lady," Draco said. "Whatever your heart desires."

Hermione was about to reply when Tonks suddenly jumped up. "Look! Look at the water!"

"I'm assuming this means it's midnight," Bill joked, looking in amazement as the water seemed to have made a "path" of a current much like a whirlpool that only went straight.

"So long as that doesn't drag us straight under it would be mighty convenient," Tonks said. "We'll still get wet though."

"Who wants to be the guinea pig to test it out?" asked Draco, only slightly joking.

"We need to hurry if we're going to take it," Hermione said, glancing at it nervously. "It said midnight and it might only last till 12:01."

"Stand back," said Tonks, coming to the shore's edge with a pine branch. "We'll test it with this."

She launched the stick into the current and they all watched as it rode straight along the waterway and didn't appear to get dragged down. "Well, that's that. Everyone on the edge and hold hands. Put a pack on you and make sure it doesn't fall off."

"Are you serious?" Hermione asked, balking at the water's edge. "This might not be entirely safe."

"The horses don't want to go either," Bill said, tugging on Pepper's reins.

"Leave the horses," Tonks said. "We unsaddled them and they have plenty of hay and there's tons of grass here. They'll be fine. And Hermione, in you go."

They all stood at the current's edge, Tonks in front and holding onto Luna, who clung to Hermione, who grabbed Bill, who supported Draco, who held onto Remus.

"Don't let go," Tonks cautioned, and then she stepped into the current and was immediately yanked forward dragging the chain of bodies behind her.

The water was indeed deep—no one could feel the bottom. But the current was rapid and before they knew it they were being whisked out further and further from shore and towards the opposite bank.

"THIS THING BETTER NOT STOP!" Hermione shouted above the waves, clutching into Luna's arm with all her might. "I CANNOT SWIM FROM HERE!"

"WE'LL BE FINE!" Tonks yelled back.

The current did indeed start to die after what seemed like a minute, presumably at 12:01am, but the group was less than twenty feet from shore and swimming wasn't that big of a challenge, what with the shore gradually starting to come underfoot. Bill and Remus acted as towboats for Draco and Luna, so they all arrived on the opposite shore within minutes.

"Well, that worked," Remus said, shaking his head and sending water droplets flying. "We're all soaked though."

"My leg's bleeding again," Draco muttered, watching with a grimace as dark red splotches spread over his pants leg.

"The water pressure can't have been good for it," Tonks said, kneeling down and rolling up his pants leg to reveal a bloody mess. "Let's put your leg back in the water to clean it off and then we'll wrap it up again, kay?"

The blond gave a tight nod and placed his leg on the shore where the water lapped gently around it.

"We're making camp for the night, no ifs, ands, or buts about it," Tonks said once Draco was situated. "We'll continue on in the morning."

"We really ought to light a fire," Remus said, glancing at their shivering party members. "We don't have dry clothing or blankets and like this everyone will be sick."

"Fine," Tonks acquiesced. "Just a small one though… we don't want to draw any attention. The Death Eaters are bound to be keeping a watch from earlier."

Within minutes a small fire was merrily crackling away and the group was gathered around, holding out hands and jackets to try and get them dry. Draco had left the water and was being wrapped in semi-wet bandages because Tonks didn't have time to dry them completely.

If one ignored the fact that several of their party were injured and the circumstances that brought them there, they could almost pretend that this was just a campsite they had set up during summer break. Just minus the cheerful bantering, singing, and s'mores.

"So where do we go now?" Bill asked once his teeth had stopped chattering and he was relatively comfortable.

"Into the trees, I suppose," Luna said, glancing backwards at the ominous looking forest.

"And the shower made of rainbows definitely sounds like a waterfall," Hermione said. "And behind that is a "hole" or a cave which is where Dumbledore is."

"Or better be," Draco said quietly, rubbing his leg gingerly.

"We should post a guard tonight," said Tonks. "Who wants to volunteer for the first shift?"

"I will," said Remus. "I'm not really all that tired."

"I'll take second," said Tonks. "Bill, will you take the third?"

"Not a problem."

"And once morning hits we're off," said the auror. "So rest up now. We don't have the horses anymore but still fortunately have the broomsticks. All three are intact, right?"

"Yes," said the werewolf. "We'll figure out riding arrangements in the morning."

"So sleep tight everyone," Tonks said, lying down on the grass, which was drier than her blanket.

Draco carefully stretched himself out in front of the fire, making sure to keep his injured leg ramrod straight. Hermione curled up next to him, her head resting on his chest, and was asleep moments later.

Luna hunkered down on her mostly dry blanket and Bill slept soundly across the fire from Tonks. Remus stationed himself between the auror and Draco, eyes peering into the darkness and hoping that nothing appeared from it.

xxx

Elsewhere, at nearly the same time, one group was not lying peacefully around a campfire.

They were instead creeping through stone hallways and casting anxious eyes around for the sign of any attacker.

"We almost there?" Fred whispered, his voice barely carrying. Dameo, who was in the lead, gave a silent nod and beckoned them into an adjoining hallway and then several feet later into a room before closing the door behind them without a sound.

It was a rather bare room. A table sat in the middle of it, a dark green rug underneath and a book on top. The book was enough to make up for the blandness of the rest of the room. It was clearly old, but the cover was encrusted with rubies and diamonds, a dark crimson ink spelling the title, "_Persequor._"

"I don't think that's ink," Neville gulped.

Dameo smiled cruelly. "You're right… it's blood. A blood seal to be exact. Only when the owner of that blood touches the book will it not trigger an alarm."

"And it doesn't happen to be your blood?" Fred asked hopefully.

"I believe it is some relative of Marlin's actually," Dameo said, carefully inspecting the book. "The nice thing about this book is it is all about tracking and locating. So by thinking of the spell I want the book will open automatically to that page. When it does, Weasley read the incantation as quickly as possible and then get moving.

"We'll be heading left out of this room and all the way down the hall to the large double doors. Those lead outside and are a "back door" of sorts so there hopefully won't be too many guards. You'll have to perform the incantation as you run, so the rest of you need to be on the lookout for anyone coming after us. I'll try and get your collars off as well.

"So, those of you other than Weasley and Parkinson please stand in the hall and prepare to run quietly. Weasley, remove your own collar first. Parkinson, I will remove your collar immediately- as soon as it's gone I want you to run and do not look back."

"But--" she protested.

"No. You will do as I say. Or I will choose someone else to remove their collar first. Since neither Zabini or you," he said, gesturing at Dean, "have collars you will run too. Understood?"

Dean looked at the other members and seemed like he too would protest, but in the end he gave a curt nod while Blaise did the same.

"Then get ready," Dameo said. "There is no room for mistakes."

And with that he flipped the book open, immediately the page reading an incantation to reverse the specific tracking charm located in their collars. Within seconds Dameo had begun reading the incantation and charming Pansy's collar off while Fred worked on his own, trying to commit it to memory. Fortunately, it wasn't a long spell.

While the collar didn't fall off, Fred immediately felt like a great weight had been taken off and he knew it had worked. He hurriedly ran out of the room, Dameo and Pansy at his heels. Pansy bypassed both of them and took off at a dead sprint with Dean and Blaise running alongside her, feet pounding behind them.

Fred was going at a slower jog next to Neville and tapping at the collar and saying the spell as best as he could at their pace. Dameo was working on Ginny's and when the redheaded girl raced faster down the hall they knew she was free as well.

Neville joined her after a moment and Fred turned to get Lavender's off when they heard shouting up ahead. Several Death Eaters were coming out of adjacent halls, their wands drawn and their eyes hard.

"I'll hold them off," Dameo said, pulling ahead. "Finish the incantations."

Only Lavender and Hannah were left, so the group slowed to a stop because so far there was no one racing up behind them.

Dameo ran forward, blasting off what appeared to be stunning spells while Dean did his best to physically shove Death Eaters out of their way. Blaise was protecting Pansy, although he was still disoriented and wasn't really landing as many punches as he would have liked.

Neville had appointed himself to cover Ginny and the two of them were blurs as they wove and ducked their way through the Death Eaters.

The doors were getting closer. Thirty… twenty… only ten feet to go!

Fred had released both girls from the curse and the three of them had joined the fray, Fred shooting off stunning and disarming spells into the hordes of black.

Dean had reached the doors and was pushing against them, but the heavy steel wasn't budging. Fred paused for a moment and shot an explosion off his wand straight through the Death Eaters and into the door.

A great plume of smoke rose up and the yelling got even louder, but a sizeable hole had been made. Shame it was a little too high for anyone to climb out of. Fred cursed and prepared another shot, but all of a sudden he felt himself freezing up.

He'd been caught by a spell.

"Fred!" Ginny screamed, turning around to race to her brother's aid. Neville though grabbed her and yanked the girl towards the door, where Dean was boosting Pansy up and through the hole, the girl slender enough to make it.

"Step in my hand," Dean said, cupping them below for a foothold for the other Slytherin.

"But--"

"Now!"

Blaise hurried to comply and with the boost from Dean managed to haul himself through the hole, the metal scraping his arms and leaving blood behind.

Back by Fred's fallen form Hannah had scooped up the wand and was doing everything she could to keep the Death Eaters away. Lavender was slapping Fred's face and screaming for him to get up, but he could only stare at her in his petrified state.

Dameo doubled back and thrust his wand into Lavender's hand and in one fluid motion hauled Fred up over his shoulder. "Get moving!" he shouted.

They didn't need to be told twice.

Both girls ran ahead, blasting Death Eaters out of the way while Dameo physically shoved them aside. Fortunately, what with all the Death Eaters wearing the same cloaks, Dameo often got lost momentarily even with Fred on his shoulder, and he was overlooked until he was socking the other guy in the gut.

Ginny was now being given a boost up, but shrieked when Dean's foothold gave way as a Death Eater got past Neville and smashed his fist into the black boy's head. At last second she was able to wriggle through, but the metal bit deep into her sides and arms and it was obvious she was in pain.

"Oy, Dean!" Neville said, kneeling down next to his fellow Gryffindor after he took out the invading Death Eater with a fist to the face. "You okay?"

Dean blinked blearily at him. "You have six eyes," he said with a loopy grin. "And three noses. Can you see extra well?"

"Great," Neville muttered. "Concussion. Just what we needed."

Hannah had managed to get through the throng and knelt down next to Dean. "Concussion?" she repeated. "I think I know how to fix that…"

"Think?" Neville echoed, but Hannah had already cast the spell.

When Dean's head didn't blow up and he in fact lost the dazed look Neville concluded that Hannah was an absolute genius.

They were slowly being boxed in, the Death Eaters just too great in number for them to hold off. "Come on, you can still get out," Neville said to the Hufflepuff. "Take the wand and meet up with the others."

"I can't leave all of you."

"They need you," he said. "You're the only one with a wand. Now hurry!"

Dean managed to shake off the last remnants of dizziness and with Neville's help they boosted Hannah out of the hole. Now only left were the two of them, Lavender and Fred. And Dameo.

Dameo had deposited Fred on the floor and had taken his wand back from Lavender. But there was really no point—they were trapped like a mouse in a cat's paws.

The sound had died down until only harsh, ragged breathing split the air from the prisoners, who knew that trying to get out when over thirty wands were trained on them was suicide. The Death Eaters wouldn't hesitate to strike them down.

"What is the meaning of this?"came the familiar icy drawl of Lucius Malfoy as the right-hand man pushed his way to the end of the hall. "Dameo? What's this?"

The dark haired Death Eater stood his ground and glared at the blond. "What does it look like, Malfoy? Are you going blind as well as senile?"

Lucius hissed and most likely would have cursed Dameo had the presence of Voldemort not suddenly invaded the hall.

"I do not enjoy being awoken at such an hour," the snake-like man hissed. "Must you have turned traitor at this hour, Dameo?"

Silence was his only answer.

"What, not going to defend yourself?"

"I regret nothing," Dameo said, staring coolly into the red orbs. "I only wish I had helped these children sooner."

"Then I consider this case closed. _Avada Kedavra_."

Lavender shrieked as a green jet of light rushed towards Dameo, the wizard raising his own wand to counterattack but not casting the spell in time. Voldemort's curse crashed into his chest, sending him staggering backwards before he slumped against the wall.

"I only see four of my dear prisoners," Voldemort said, not even batting an eyelid at killing curse he'd just performed. "Where are the rest?"

"T-they escaped, m-my lord," one Death Eater stuttered, cowering behind several others.

"Then why is no one capturing them?" he asked quietly, a note of rage behind the request.

At once half of the gathering in the hall broke away and scurried down an adjoining hall to where there was another door that led to the back.

"Now, now, what to do with you," Voldemort said, stalking closer to the four remaining prisoners. "I could kill you," he said, smiling cruelly as Lavender whimpered and clung to the back of Neville's shirt. "Or I could spare you all until tomorrow morning and then kill the worthless ones. What do you think, Lucius?"

"I believe you know best, my lord."

"A careful answer. Well then, I think I shall spare you all tonight. Then tomorrow we shall hold a grand execution at a more decent hour. It will be most entertaining, will it not? Maybe if you beg enough I'll allow you to live one more day.

"Take them back to their cells," he commanded. "Tomorrow at eleven we will commence."

Loud cheers greeted the announcement and Neville looked like he would physically be ill.

"What do you want done with his body, my lord?" asked a Death Eater.

"Throw it out for the crows," Voldemort grinned manically. "They shall be treated to a real feast."

Dean glanced back and forth from Dameo's wand, which had rolled forward to where Voldemort was standing. Should he go for it? Just a few steps and—

"Don't even think about it," Lucius said, summoning the fallen wand to his hand. "Now, if you don't come quietly back to your cells I will not hesitate to use force. You can either enjoy your last night of living alive or half-dead. You choose."

They remained silent. And just as quietly the Death Eaters conjured ropes and tied their hands behind their backs. Fred was lifted via a levitation charm and they were brought back soundlessly to their cells. Dean was put in his own and Neville was put by himself with Fred and Lavender in the same one.

But instead of just leaving them the four guards that had escorted them posted themselves right outside the cells. "If you so much as sneeze we will curse you," said one.

Dean stiffened at that and collapsed to the floor, his hand still immobile behind him. How could he have been so stupid? Ginny and Fred didn't know their brother was alive! Stupid, stupid, stupid! And now he couldn't even say anything without probably having his tongue removed.

Neville hunkered down in a corner of his cell and cast glances with Fred, who was across the way. Lavender had curled up against the redhead and was using him as a pillow, tears streaking down her face.

Fred just shook his head, admitting defeat. There was nothing they could do. They had had their chance and they lost it.

There was no getting through this. No happy end in sight. The only thing they could do was hope that the others had gotten away… it was too late for them, but the other's tomorrow might still come.

xxx

She was running so fast it almost felt like she was flying. Almost.

As soon as she'd gotten through the door she'd spotted the others all sprinting for the trees and with a touch of the wand to her feet she increased her speed just long enough to catch up to them. Hence the almost flying effect.

"W-where are the others?" Ginny panted as Hannah reached the girl, Pansy and Blaise still a little ways ahead.

"I don't know if they made it through," Hannah said softly, barely audible over their pounding feet. "Neville and Dean shoved me through… Dean got a concussion but I managed to fix it before I left. Dameo had Fred and I'm not sure where Lav was."

Ginny glanced back over her shoulder, hoping to see her friends. What she saw instead were quite a number of black robed figures heading toward.

"DEATH EATERS!" she screamed, forcing herself to go even faster, the fact that Hannah applied the thirty-second long speed charm helping ever so slightly.

Still though, there wasn't any way they could outrun Death Eaters. Especially when said Death Eaters could apparate.

It was then Ginny had an idea. "Hannah! Can you apparate us all out of here?"

"All of us?" she repeated, the two nearly on top of Blaise and Pansy. "I…don't know. I could try, but I'd probably splinch all of us."

"Better than sticking around here, right?"

"Um…"

They'd caught up to the Slytherins and they all stopped so they could all grab onto Hannah, who was looking decidedly uncomfortable with the thought of apparting, but was willing to give it a try.

Shame the Death Eaters weren't. Just as she was about to hopefully poof them out of existence, one of the Death Eaters shouted, "_Expelliarmus!" _and the wand was yanked out of her hand. Seconds later, the sound of apparting and reappearing sounded throughout the clearing and the group found themselves surrounded.

"Did you honestly think you would escape?" asked one, face twisted cruelly.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Pansy asked, snarl marring her pretty features.

Seeing as the Death Eater continued speaking Pansy assumed it was. "You will all come quietly back to the castle or we will kill you now."

The group exchanged glances. It really wasn't a request, but going back to the castle meant living a little longer. It also meant leaving the outdoors. Despite the fact they'd been running and hadn't really cared to examine the scenery, they were finally outside. It was slightly chilly, being nearly September now, but the moon was shining down and stars were twinkling overhead. The grass was cool beneath their feet and they could almost smell the sweet tang of the approaching fall air. The trees were starting to change color, bits of dull oranges and reds and yellows dotted the forest in front of them.

They had to go back inside the castle?

"Get moving," the unnamed Death Eater ordered. "You'll all die soon enough and then we can dump your carcasses out here."

"That's really making me want to move," Pansy muttered, but took a hesitant step back towards the castle.

They found their wrists bound with rope moments later and were being marched across the grounds and back into the lair. The seemingly in charge Death Eater remarked, "Make sure to get a good's night sleep. At eleven tomorrow we're going to kill you, but we'd rather see you a bit animated before you die."

"What?" Pansy demanded.

"No talking or questions," the wizard chuckled darkly. "Now, back to your cells."

Minutes later they had come back inside, Pansy being shoved into a cell with Fred and Lavender, Ginny getting pushed in with Dean, and Hannah and Blaise joining Neville.

Ginny wished she'd been put in a cell with her brother, but of course that would be too nice of the Death Eaters. Even Pansy and Blaise had been separated.

Being tied up as they were there was little Dean could do to offer his ex-girlfriend any comfort, but he gave her a gentle nudge and invited her to lean against him. She did so, muffled sobs leaking into his shoulder.

Six guards were now posted and talking was prohibited.

There was no use for it anyway. They didn't have any escape plans or get out of jail free cards. No tricks were hidden up their sleeves and their supply of allies had run out. And unless Draco and Hermione miraculously saved them they would be dead. In less than twelve hours.

They had nothing left. No hope. No faith. And no chance escaping.

They weren't going to make it through. _  
_

xxx

xxx

**Author's Notes: **

I had planned to upload this on Sunday like normal, but I'll be pretty much gone/busy all day so I thought I'd get it up now.

I've been really busy the last few weeks. The school year is winding to an end (two more weeks!) so I've been drowning in a mess of papers (the joys of being an English major), group projects (why are they always at the end of the year?), yearbook stuff (only three more pages! I can do it!!.... hopefully), RA training (I landed a resident adviser spot! So I get to live on campus next year!) and newspaper stuff.

Speaking of which, I am the new Arts and Entertainment editor starting next year! I'm really excited but also nervous-- it's a big job. If any of you have fun story ideas for the orientation issue (the issue being published for the incoming freshman) let me know. My college is near Chicago so if you're from that area feel free to give ideas on events or exhibits in the city.

For all the moms out there, I hope you have a wonderful mother's day tomorrow! Me and my family are taking my mom on a picnic, having a huge pancake lunch (I have to work in the morning and my mom wants to sleep in so it's all good) and hopefully going to go see a movie. It should be a lot of fun n.n

If you read the chapter please do drop a review. I'd love to hear what you thought of my crashing their hopes :P But don't worry, we've still got a few chapters to go... something should happen in those, right? Thanks to those that review, we're almost at 1000! Maybe we'll make it there this chapter?


	27. Falling in the Black

**Black is Our World**

**Falling in the Black**

_xxx_

_xxx  
_

_Tonight I'm so alone  
This sorrow takes a hold  
Don't leave me here so cold  
(Never want to be so cold)_

_Your touch used to be so kind  
Your touch used to give me life  
I've waited all this time_

_I've wasted so much time_

_Don't leave me alone  
Cause I barely see at all  
Don't leave me alone, I'm_

_Falling in the black  
Slipping through the cracks  
Falling to the depths can I ever go back  
Dreaming of the way it used to be  
Can you hear me  
Falling in the black  
Slipping through the cracks  
Falling to the depths can I ever go back  
Falling inside the black  
Falling inside falling inside the black_

_--Falling Inside the Black; Skillet_

_xxx_

_xxx_

Morning could not dawn soon enough. But finally it was what they assumed around seven and the group was on their way to hopefully finding Dumbledore.

Of the group, four knew how to fly but one of those four was injured. So in order to hopefully not break their brooms with their combined weight, Tonks and Draco shared, Hermione went with Remus, and Luna, the smallest, went with Bill, the largest.

"This is embarrassing," Draco muttered, riding on back and having to hold on to Tonks for balance. "It's my broom."

"You're in no condition to drive," Tonks called back, the fast pace they were moving nearly whipping away her words. "Just relax… we'll find Dumbledore soon."

They were flying relatively low so they were in the cover of the trees, which Hermione was grateful for to no end. Remus was afraid that by the time they found Dumbledore he might also be in need of healing—Hermione was squeezing him so tightly he swore he felt a rib give!

Since a waterfall was a remotely large structure, they weren't wasting time by looking over every small nook and cranny. The sound of rushing water was their objective and so far there was no luck.

"At least this forest is alive," Hermione remarked quietly about an hour later, watching as a squirrel zipped out of sight. "I was beginning to miss all the cute little rodents."

"I just hope we don't run into anything dangerous," Bill said. "Like, oh, a bear for instance."

"Dragons would be my main concern," said Tonks. "But as far as I know there shouldn't be any in this part of England."

"Shouldn't be," Bill snorted. "Hang on, I need to knock on a tree. No use bringing Murphy's Law down upon us."

They all slowed to a stop and watched in amusement as Bill parked himself next to the nearest tree and rapped on it three times.

"There, I feel better. We can go now," he said, smile threatening to break free from his serious look.

Wordlessly they all took off again, only having one scare where Draco dozed off and nearly fell off the broom. Only Bill's reflexes saved him from falling to the ground, as she shoved the boy back on the broom. Needless to say they'd landed briefly so Tonks could put Draco in front and then awkwardly steer around him.

They stopped again around what they assumed was nine, two hours into their journey, for a brief leg stretch and water break. The sun was starting to filter through the trees now, casting sparkling golden patterns dancing across the ground. Hermione would have loved to just sit back look at them, but they were on a time schedule. The quicker they got to Dumbledore, the quicker they would hopefully stop Voldemort.

About an hour later the sound of running water reached their ears and they discovered a river, bubbling merrily downstream. And where there was a river there had to be a source. Racing alongside its banks, the water turned into rapids, large stones jutting out and huge waves splashing and wearing at the river's edge.

The roaring was deafening. If there weren't a waterfall in the next quarter-mile or so then someone was really wrong.

Rounding a bend the group came face to face with the waterfall they had been searching for, the towering natural wonder easily over one-hundred feet high. It was a good thing they had brooms.

"So where do you reckon the cave is behind that?" Bill asked, eyeing the waterfall.

"I'm going to guess behind where the rainbow is," Hermione said, pointing at the small arc of color that had formed over part of the waterfall from the sun's reflection.

"Do you think we can get through?" Tonks asked worriedly. "The last thing we want to do is get shoved underwater from the pressure and drown."

"Maybe it's weaker where the rainbow is?" Remus said. "It would make the most sense."

"Well, waiting isn't going to get us anywhere," Tonks said. "C'mon, we're mostly Gryffindors here. Let's get moving."

She volunteered herself first, which was quite ironic as neither she nor Draco was from the red and gold house. But Tonks liked to believe the yellow in Hufflepuff was just a version of Gryffindor's gold. All of the brooms went up to hover outside and Tonks maneuvered so she and Draco, still asleep, were horizontal to the fall.

Carefully, she held her arm out into the mists and then plunged it into the fall. "I think I can feel air on the other side," she said, backing up slowly. "I'm going to go in. If you see me make it through then go ahead and follow. Clutching Draco to her like a teddy bear, Tonks dove into the waterfall and emerged a second later, still breathing and at the very entrance to what looked like a cave.

They had done it! Shaking the water from her short, red hair, Tonks backed the broom into the entrance and waited for the others. Remus and Hermione entered next, both their jaws dropping as a cave actually appeared. Bill and Luna appeared last, looking none the worse but a little wet.

"Shall we?" Tonks asked, poking Draco to rouse him.

They took it slow, the walls glistening with water and moss growing on the ground. It was cold inside, most likely the waterfall acting as a refrigerator of sorts and when they breathed out their breath came in little clouds.

Draco woke up, groggy and disoriented, about a minute in. "We're almost to Dumbledore," Tonks whispered, watching in delight as Draco lit up. Soon… so very, very soon they would find the one person that could help them.

The tunnel gradually started to widen until they all entered into a large chamber, all of them except Draco and Luna dismounting from the brooms.

"I don't…" Hermione said, glancing around, "…see anyone."

"Spread out and search," said Tonks. "There's a lot of boulders here."

"Professor!" Hermione called out, starting to circle the chamber.

"Dumbledore!" Tonks shouted, a faint grin appearing on her features as her voice echoed around the cavern.

A loud squawk sounded and then a burst of red and gold plumage flashed into sight.

"Fawkes!" Hermione exclaimed, rushing over to where the Phoenix was circling.

Her steps slowed as she reached the bird, before she stopped completely, hand clapped over her mouth in horror. The others had raced over and Tonks froze next to Hermione.

They had found Dumbledore.

Or rather, Dumbledore's body.

He was propped up against the outer wall, half-moon glasses cracked and perched on the end of his nose, once twinkling blue eyes closed beneath their lids.

His robes, a soft, periwinkle, were dirty and tattered while his hair looked even grayer than it had before. His skin was ashen, blue veins standing out vividly against the flesh.

With a ragged sob Hermione fell to her knees, pressing her hand against her mouth to control her cries. "No…"

"What is it?" Luna called, a tremor to her voice as she and Draco remained at the entrance of the cave.

No one answered as Remus stepped hesitantly forward and knelt next to the body, gingerly picking up the man's cold hands and placing them on his lap. Clutched in his right fist was a very worn piece of parchment, which Remus removed gently.

Fawkes had stopped circling and landed heavily on Tonks' outstretched arm, pearly tears shining by the golden orbs.

"W-wait," Hermione said, brushing a hand over her eyes. "Fawkes… h-he can still help Draco and Luna, r-right?"

Bill brightened slightly. "Y-yeah."

"Is something wrong?" Luna called again.

They were all in shock. Dumbledore had been their last hope… their lifeline. And he was gone. A friend. Professor. Teacher. Mentor.

Just gone. They had all wanted so badly for him to be there… greet them with a twinkle in his eye and a warmth that no one could ever hope to match. He had been their guiding symbol… a light in the darkness. And they had been drawn like a moth to the flame.

But the flame had gone out, leaving them confused and lost.

Where did they go now?

Luna and Draco both realized that something was wrong when the group didn't respond. And when they emerged from behind the rock with tear-streaked faces and no kindly old wizard with them they knew what had happened.

"One thing at a time," said Tonks, forcing herself into auror mode. "Fawkes is here and he can hopefully help both of you. We just have to have his tears touch your injury. Draco, you first."

Bill gently pulled the boy from the broomstick and cradled him to his chest before setting him on the ground and acting as a support behind him.

Hermione took Draco's hand in hers and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek as Remus rolled up the pants leg and started to undo the stained bandages.

Draco hissed as the wound was exposed, blood leaking once more and the injury clearly infected. The blond tore his eyes away, no longer able to look at the ghastly sight.

Fawkes fluttered down from Tonks' arm and rested his head on Draco's leg, not even seeming to mind the blood that pressed itself into his brilliant plumage. Tears trickled down the short feathers and onto the wound below, shimmering a silvery-blue before fading.

Seconds later the Phoenix lifted his head and let out a soft trill.

"How's it feel?" Hermione asked softly.

"G-good," Draco stuttered, eyes wide with disbelief.

Tonks carefully dumped some of their water over the injury and as the blood flowed away, clean, whole skin was revealed. "Can you stand on it for me?" she asked, tears pricking at her eyes.

With Bill's help, Draco rose to his feet and gingerly put his weight on his right leg. "It doesn't hurt," he whispered, still in shock. For so long he had been constantly in pain and for it all to suddenly vanish…

Hermione rocketed forward and pulled him into an embrace, her tears soaking into his shirt. "Oh Draco," she murmured.

"All right, Luna's up," the auror said, grin threatening to split her face.

Remus helped Luna down from her broom and set her comfortably against the cave wall.

"This might be easier if I lie down," she said, shifting to the floor. "It's quite a large wound."

She rolled up the shirt she'd been wearing and Tonks helped to unwrap the bandages, also bloodstained. While the injury had improved over the months it was still really bad. The auror felt her stomach clench at the scene, while Luna only looked on in morbid curiosity as a trickle of blood dropped down her side.

"C'mere, Fawkes," Tonks said, as the Phoenix had perched himself on Bill's shoulder.

The creature made his way over to the Ravenclaw and allowed his tears to once more fall over the gaping injury. He hovered there a little longer than he had for Draco, but eventually he took once more to the air, trilling happily.

"The pain is gone," she said softly, pushing herself to a sitting position and pressing a hand to her stomach, blood still clinging to her fingers but no pain with it.

Tonks offered her the canteen and Luna wiped the blood off, revealing not even a scar on her pale skin.

Hermione enveloped the girl in a hug while Remus gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'm really glad that worked," she said quietly. "I was afraid it might not."

"Me too," Luna admitted, pulling her shirt back down.

For a few minutes they allowed themselves to relish in this small victory, but all too soon the reality of the situation came crashing back.

"Dumbledore had this parchment with him," Remus said, removing the scroll from his pocket. "Let's all go outside and read it… this cave is awfully cold to stay in."

"What about--?"

"His body will be fine," Tonks said. "The cold is helping to prevent any decay. We need to read his… last note…" she said after a pause, "and figure out what needs to be done right now. Dumbledore deserves to be buried at Hogwarts… we know where he is, so once we manage to beat Voldemort we'll come back and give him a proper burial."

With nods all around, the group headed back to the fallen brooms, Draco seating himself on the front of his. "I'm driving," he said, a small smirk on his face.

Tonks laughed and agreed.

Within minutes they had exited the cave with Fawkes behind them and settled down on a grassy spot next to the waterfall, where the sun was drying their clothes.

"Okay, ready?" Remus said, looking at everyone in the group.

"Go ahead," said Tonks, laying a hand on his arm.

Clearing his throat, Remus unrolled the scroll and started to read.

"_Dear friends,_

"_Well, I hope this letter has fallen into friendly hands. If it has not, I kindly ask you to discard it and take no notice."_

Bill snorted and shook his head. "Sounds like Dumbledore."

Remus continued. _"If you have found this letter then it is my best guess I am no longer among the living. Do not mourn me… there is no time for that. I am not sure what date it is, but it has been at least a month since we were attacked by Voldemort and my time is limited._

"_Fawkes has done the best he could, but there is no cure for old age. I have lived a long life and I accept death. I am only sorrowed that I am not there for all of you any longer. Please forgive me._

"_As I'm sure you're wondering I did indeed manage to escape the castle. It was not my intention, but someone decided I was not meant to die in that battle. Fawkes teleported me here, to this cave, where I've been for the last few weeks. Fawkes has been a dear friend, bringing me fresh greens and water, but I regretfully am unable to summon the strength to move. _

"_I know that I am no match for Voldemort. I learned of a prophecy from our dear Sibyll Trelawney which I have not yet managed to figure out. I am hoping some fresh new minds will be able to make sense of it. It may be our last hope._

"_I pray for your safety and for your success. Responsibility is a heavy burden, but it is in these dire times our true character shows through. May you overcome these dark trials and move forward to bright future. _

"_All of my love,_

"_-Albus Dumbledore."_

Remus paused as everyone wiped their eyes, not even trying to hide the tears.

"The prophecy is written below," said the werewolf. "Shall I go ahead and read it?"

"Go on," Tonks said.

"All right… it's written sort of like a poem so I'll do my best."

"_The chosen but not and now is  
__under the darkness of the seventh moon  
__the light lies within  
__as a saint to guide the spirit  
__the First's antlers glow alongside the silver sickle  
__so that the shadows are chased away  
__their inky tendrils being removed from the innocent  
__and only light remains  
__the town is new and silent at first  
__but with others it will shine  
__and come alive  
__life is in the light of the chosen  
__Death cannot kill the light  
__the First chosen will aid for  
__only a song of fire will banish the dark  
__for the pure there is no sin  
__only light can chase darkness  
__only radiance shall scatter the black  
__only together will they stand without fail  
__on wings they will fly in the light of the moon  
__and the blackness will be nevermore."_

"I think I liked the previous one better," Bill admitted with a sheepish grin. "I didn't get a word of that."

"The words First and Death are capitalized if that's any help," Remus supplied. "Here, take a look at it for yourselves."

"The chosen was Harry," Hermione mused. "Right? So would he be the First?"

"That sorta makes sense," Tonks mused. "His animal was the stag, and that has antlers. But if Harry isn't here…"

"And it says the First will aid whoever this prophecy is talking about… assuming this is about a person," said Remus. "If Harry isn't here there isn't much he can do."

"Okay, no need to be overwhelmed," Tonks said. "We're all a little high on emotion right now. Let's take a quick break—say fifteen minutes—and get something to eat, relax, and just breathe a bit. Sound good?"

Within a minute everyone had wandered away. Draco and Hermione had strolled off to a tree where the two were locked lip and lip, slightly hidden beneath the large pine branches. Luna was humming and dangling her feet in the water and munching on an apple.

Bill was kneeling farther down where the water was calmer and was wiping down his broom and washing the invisibility cloak, which had accumulated quite a bit of mud and pond scum from their journey in the lake, while Tonks and Remus had curled up against a tree themselves, sitting quietly and enjoying each other's presence. Fawkes had perched himself in a branch and was soaking in sun, plumage glowing in the bright light.

But when a loud pop shattered the peaceful setting and dark figures started to appear they realized that their few moments of respite were over.

Now was the time for action.

_xxx_

_**1 hour earlier; 10:00am**_

Dean woke up with a start, not even aware that he'd fallen asleep. The loud, raucous laughter of the Death Eaters that were guarding them was enough to wake even the dead.

Gingerly he turned his neck, wincing at the dull crack it gave off. Sleeping propped up against the wall hadn't been the smartest idea. But…

He glanced down at the redhead sleeping against his shoulder, her deep, even breaths slightly blowing the hair that had fallen across her face.

A chilling thought struck him as he gazed down at her, still peaceful in slumber for the time being. This would be the last time he would ever wake up. He would never sleep again; never close his eyes and dream of better times. He would never see Luna again…

He would never tell her that he loved her.

A tear trickled down his face, leaving a trail of despair and loss. A sob tugged at the back of his throat and he fought to keep it locked inside, squeezing his eyes shut as hot tears leaked out.

It was all too sudden.

And for the first time since he'd first been saved, Dean wished he had have died in battle. Anything was better than this. To know that death was coming, but not being able to do anything. To watch his friends die around him and be forced to watch. To not even be able to say good-bye.

The worst was he had had hope. He and Luna had found a purpose… a goal. They had tasted freedom and life. And to have it wrenched away… it was unbearable.

"Awww, are you crying?" one of the Death Eaters mocked, staring into Dean's cell where the black boy resolutely ignored him. "What, not going to say anything?"

"Just ignore them," Ginny breathed against his arm and Dean jerked, not even aware she was awake.

"It doesn't look good, does it?" she whispered.

"No," he replied, voice still hoarse from all the screaming he'd done just a day ago. "Ginny, I…"

"Yes?" she probed as he fell silent.

Dean wanted to tell her about Bill. Let her know that one of her brothers was still alive. But all it would do was get her hopes up only to crush them in the end. She was better off not knowing.

"Nothing," he said after a moment. "Sorry, I—"

"Hey! No talking!"

Dean swore silently under his breath as the most alert guard made his way over. "I don't know what you two are muttering about, but it stops now," he said, flicking his wand in Dean's direction. "_Silencio."_

Being told not to talk was one thing. Having your voice silenced was another.

Ginny pressed her face into his shoulder, hot tears leaking through his thin shirt. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I'm sorry."

Dean gently nudged her with his foot and forced a small smile upon his face despite the urge just to cry. Ginny gave a watery one back and curled up against him as best as she could, what with their hands still bound behind them.

Although there was no clock to let them know the time, they knew it couldn't be long till they were all dragged from their cells and killed. Well, some at least. The Death Eaters still needed the three for their prophecy.

"Only a little longer till you all meet your end," chuckled a guard. "I hope we can all participate in the festivities."

Minutes ticked silently by, Dean wishing he could return to sleep and pretend this was all just a horribly realistic nightmare.

"All right, time to go," said a different guard a little while later. "It's almost eleven and we wouldn't want you to be late for your party."

"I'd really rather arrive fashionably late," Pansy muttered below her breath. She had nothing left to hold on to… her biting words had helped her survive through Slytherin for all seven years. They let her have one last bit of herself… the Death Eaters had hurt her in so many ways… but they never managed to take away her voice. And she clung to it as her last lifeline.

Fred had heard the Slytheirn girl and gave her a nudge and the best smile he could come up with.

"Hey, it's not over till it's over," he said softly.

"Don't try and be optimistic now," Pansy threatened. "I've given up. If I hope it will be for nothing… it's easier to just accept defeat.

"I'm not a Gryffindor like you," she said, noticing Fred open his mouth to protest. "I don't believe in others as easily as you're able to. It's survival of the fittest and we both lost. Just let me go without a false sense of hope."

"Stop talking and on your feet," said a guard, entering their cell and keeping his wand pointed at them. "C'mon, let's go," he said, gruffer, as Lavender struggled to her feet and Fred remained resolutely on the floor.

The Gryffindor boy refused to move, and in the end the guard had to come in and yank Fred up by his hair and shove him out of the cell where he was pressed against his fellow prisoners.

This was it.

Hannah couldn't help but think of all the research she'd done on the Holocaust and how the prisoners had been herded like sheep to the gashouses and killed. She shuddered and prayed that her death would be quick. Not painless—she knew enough to not hope for that. But quick.

They were being ushered out of the dungeons now. No one was fighting back or trying to resist… there was nothing more they could do. If you tried to fight back you'd only be hurt. Last night had been their last chance… there were no more chances now.

Just as Blaise, who was in the lead of their group, was about to cross the threshold out of the dungeons at the Death Eaters prodding, shouting rang down the hall.

All head turned to look at the newest Death Eater, his hood pushed back and his eyes bright. "They found them!" he cried out, before being shushed by one of the other guards.

The hall grew silent except for the whispered mutterings of the death eaters who were huddled around the informant.

Fred exchanged glances with Dean, who gave a shrug of his shoulders.

Found who?

"All right, back in your cells," one of the guards ordered. "The party has been delayed for a little bit."

Barking out orders, most of the Death Eaters that had been on guard duty left, leaving only three behind, their faces one of disappointment.

"I can't believe they left us behind," muttered one, scuffing his foot angrily against the stone. "I wanted to see the looks on their faces when we caught them."

As one, the group of prisoners stiffened and cast wary glances to one another. Caught them? Had they found Hermione and Draco?

Luckily for the group, the guards showed no signs of keeping this information private. "They shouldn't have lit a fire," snorted another. "Since we've been following their trail since finding the one wizard the other day they should have known we'd find them eventually."

Ginny gasped and would have clapped a hand over her mouth if she had one free. The guards didn't take any notice, too preoccupied with their own conversation and not caring what the prisoners said… they'd be dead soon anyway.

"I heard it's a big group," said one. "They say Lucius' son is with them."

"I almost feel sorry for him," chuckled one darkly. "Almost. Little bitch got what was coming to him. He should just let Lucius do what he wants."

"Don't you dare talk about Draco like that!" Pansy yelled from her cell, fury etched in her face. "You sick, vile-"

"Crucio," the guard spat, flicking his wand carelessly at her.

A short scream tore from her throat before another guard threw a silencing charm on her, both ignoring as she twitched on the floor and Fred and Lavender ran to her side, screaming at the guards to stop.

They seemed to tire of her rather quickly in favor of their conversation and went back to it, ignoring the girl's silent sobs.

"They supposedly have no idea that we're coming," said the guard who had cast the silencing charm. "Our lord believes they're one of the last of the resistance in England… once we capture them there'll be no one left."

"Hear that?" said the third guard, who had been quiet till now. "Your friends are about to be captured. And then we'll kill all of you."

Fred felt tears prick his eyes as hopelessness tore once more at his heart. So he and the others had a little time left, so what? The only people still free were about to become captured and killed.

And Draco… he shuddered to think of what would happen to him.

There was no more dreaming or hoping for things to go back to the way they were. No one was out there to hear their cries now.

They had truly fallen into the black.

And they were never coming back.

**Author's Notes:**

I had a lot of fun with Dumbledore's letter and I think I captured his voice pretty well. At least I hope I did :P

I am also very, very proud of my prophecy. Like, extremely proud of it. And I've decided to hold a little contest. Interested? I certainly hope so. Read below for more details.

Solve the prophecy. EVERY part of it (who, what, when, where, why, etc as it applies—you may not need to answer all of these). You have to explain how you got to that answer as well, no random guessing!

To enter, tell me in your review that you're entering. You have until **June 20th **to private message (or e-mail) me the answer and your reasoning. I'd really prefer PMing but if you aren't registered I'll take e-mails.

Please don't submit your answer in the review! You don't want anyone else to see it, right? But make sure to say you're entering via review otherwise your entry is invalid. (I want to know ahead of time how many are entering (prize limit might be increased) and if you don't get it to me by the date I can check up to see if you're still entering.)

And if you win? If you manage to get all of the answers right I will write you a Harry Potter (or select other fanworks) one-shot of your choice. It will be between 2000-6000 words and can focus on any characters you want. I'd be happy to write pairings, but no slash. You get to pick what you want the story to be about, the characters, plot, and even the outcome if you want. I'll just fill in all the blanks with artistic license. :D

I hope to see some entries! I'd love to see how you decipher it. And if no one gets it but someone gets _really _close I'll still do the one-shot. However, it's first person to get it right. Once I get the right answer sent in I'll leave a note on my profile that the contest is over, so make sure to check that out before you submit your guess.

Only one try per person! I won't let anyone know what the real answer was until the contest is over or until someone gets it right!

Thanks for sticking with this story. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!


	28. One Second in the Abyss of Time

**Black is Our World**

**One Second in the Abyss of Time**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_We are alive for a moment  
One second in the great abyss of time  
All the bleeding and all the hate_

_Just one blink of an eye_

_All the conflict  
Visits dire pain on human life  
Are we missing what it is to be alive?_

_One by one the pieces fall  
Until our pride defeats us all  
Or we learn to live without it_

_WAKE UP - to the sound of this time bomb  
WAKE UP - to its deafening song  
WAKE UP - cause you don't know what you've got  
Until it's gone_

_Our innocence is a virtue  
But our arrogance will only leave us blind,  
Unattended  
Without anyone to save our idle lives  
Will we find out  
That everything we know exists inside  
Of a fraction of a fraction_

_--Wake Up; Story of the Year_

_xxx_

_xxx_

One moment they were all resting peacefully, the only real sound that of the waterfall in the background.

And then the next, Death Eaters were appearing like nifflers who'd found a huge pile of gold. Just not with as much carefree enthusiasm.

It wasn't like at Hogwarts, where the Death Eaters had loudly screamed their presence and let them know they were there. Now, they were silent, moving in for the kill like reapers of death.

But Tonks wasn't an auror for nothing, and quick reflexes came with the territory. She was on her feet before all of the Death Eaters had even finished apparating in, wand already firing off deadly green bolts of light.

This was no time for her to try and save the lives of Death Eaters… it was kill or be killed and she knew that. She had trained for that. But asking anyone else to perform the killing curse…

"Remus!" she shouted, hitting the ground and rolling as a curse sailed over her head. "Get to the kids!"

The werewolf had already been headed towards Luna, his own wand firing off the killing spell. He too realized the seriousness of the situation.

They were gravely outnumbered. Not that he'd had time to perform a headcount, but there were roughly a good one hundred Death Eaters, all equipped with wands and no hesitation to kill. On the other hand, they only had three wands and only Tonks was truly trained for battle like this, himself having picked up basics, but nowhere near a combat ready level.

Snarling and growling broke through the mess of spells being sounded, and Remus caught the figures of two wolves out of the corner of his eye, hurling themselves at the Death Eaters, teeth and claws at the ready.

Luna had grabbed her wand and was busy firing off stunning spells, but seated high atop the rock there was little room to duck out of the way of curses being thrown her way.

In horror, Remus watched as a spell caught her right in the chest, and with a gasp of surprise, she toppled off the rock and into the thunderous water below.

Not even thinking, he dove off the side of the bank and into the rapids after her, only hoping that when he surfaced it wouldn't be to imprisonment or death.

xxx

They didn't have wands, but that didn't mean they couldn't fight.

Giving Draco's hand one last squeeze, knowing it might be the last time she got to, Hermione transformed into her animagus form of a brown wolf.

Copying her, Draco switched to his own wolf form, silver eyes sparkling madly and with bloodlust.

As one they jumped into the circle of Death Eaters that had built up around them, digging claws and sinking teeth into flesh. Hermione went for arms and legs, aiming to disable, but not to kill.

She knew she ought to… but she couldn't bring herself to take a life. Not even of an enemy.

Draco though had no qualms about biting through the jugular or shoving a clawed paw into a chest.

He wasn't going back. He wasn't…couldn't…

He would not allow himself to lose.

Fortunately the Death Eaters for the most part weren't good with close combat. They couldn't effectively use their wands and a piece of wood was no match against sharp canines. They were also afraid to hurt the silver wolf too badly; Lucius had all but threatened that if there was an inch of extra damage to him he would have their heads.

And no one wanted to cross Lucius.

The right hand man of Voldemort had of course arrived at the battle, but he and Marlin had opted to oversee it and order the Death Eaters about. They already got first torture rights of the prisoners once the "ceremony" started so they were in no hurry to place themselves in actual harm's way.

And the fact that Lucius was a bit too distracted to be of any use in the fighting.

Marlin rolled his eyes at the blond haired man's attention to the wolf across the clearing. The creature was dotted in blood, the liquid staining his teeth and matting itself in his fur as he continued his relentless attack on the Death Eaters.

Lucius licked his lips just as the blood coated tongue of the wolf lolled out of the mouth as he went in for another kill.

"Come now, Lucius," Marlin said, his own eyes lustfully watching Hermione darting in and out. He knew that she would be killed as she had no purpose any longer, but perhaps he could take her up to his rooms just once…

"Don't reprimand me when you're thinking the same thing," Lucius drawled.

"But at least I'm not thinking that about my relative," the dark-haired wizard muttered.

"Is there something wrong with my preferences?"

"No, no… I just think you have a slightly sicker and twisted mind than most and a horrible case of narcissism … but who am I to judge?

"Exactly right," Lucius agreed. "You have no place to judge… if I wanted you dead I would only have to ask our lord to remove you… I am his right-hand after all."

"Don't go there, Malfoy. I'd really rather not have to kill you."

"You wouldn't even stand a chance."

Marlin just shrugged his shoulders and let the conversation die. There was no use getting riled up… he'd receive his reward soon enough…

xxx

"_There's too many!" _Hermione barked, her voice heavy with fatigue. _"Draco, I can't-"_

She was suddenly cut off when a spell managed to hit her. With a yelp she crashed to the ground, side aching something fierce. She probably had broken ribs.

But she couldn't lie down and lick her wounds. If she didn't get up she would be killed. Except it hurt so bad… she wasn't sure she could move.

"_Hermione!" _Draco howled as he saw Death Eaters closing in on the downed Gryffindor. Giving one last swipe to an almost fallen Death Eater, he dashed off towards the girl, biting at the Death Eaters that were closing in.

But even he had reached his limit and fighting his way through the hordes was impossible.

"_Draco… run…" _Hermione moaned, just on the edge of consciousness.

"_No! I'm not leaving you!"_

Just as Hermione blacked out Draco made it to her side and stood protectively over the now human girl, blood dripping menacingly down his muzzle.

"_Just try and get past me," _he snarled, not that anyone understood.

"What are you waiting for?" one of the Death Eaters asked as the surrounding group just stood there. "Someone hit him."

But as a wand was raised Draco rushed forward once more for an attack, ready to fight till his last breath.

However, now that he was enclosed in a more organized circle, he'd left his back completely unprotected. And just as he was about the claw the life from one of the hooded figures blinding pain overtook him.

And then there was nothing.

xxx

Fawkes had never been one to sit by in battles if Harry's battle with the Basilisk had said anything. He'd immediately swooped down from his perch, talons out and beak pointed.

One unlucky Death Eater had fallen prey to his talons as he helped to gouge the man's eyes out and Tonks finished him off with a curse.

But Phoenixes were never meant for battle. While they couldn't be killed, they couldn't do much damage either.

Using his talons to cut open another Death Eater's throat, the Phoenix took flight upwards, only to find himself plummeting to the ground. A well placed paralysis had caught him, momentarily freezing him. And the Death Eater knew that.

Within seconds a thin golden chain had been wrapped around his neck, the charm in the jewelry placing anyone wearing it into a dreamless sleep until it was removed.

And even a Phoenix wasn't able to resist thousand-year old magic. In seconds the bird went limp, his part of the battle over.

xxx

Bill had seen the Death Eaters, but they hadn't seen him. They had all apparated farther upstream by the waterfall instead of the calmer water where he was.

Knowing that the only way he'd be able to help, being wandless, was his brute strength Bill knew he'd need the element of surprise. And, as the last bit of his luck would have it, he was holding an invisibility cloak. Only common sense needed for what he did next.

Bill was just about to exit the water and enter the battle when he saw Remus pop up in the water, holding a limp Luna in his arms. The werewolf looked vaguely in Bill's direction and gave a barely perceptible shake of his head before Death Eaters swarmed him.

The redhead halted, knowing that the message had been for him.

"_Don't get involved."_

Even if he were to go knock a few heads Bill knew he'd ultimately be caught. After all, just one snag and the cloak would fall and he'd be a prime target. But if he waited to see how things played out then maybe he could help them afterwards.

But still…

Weasleys were Gryffindors! They charged into battle and fought like warriors. They didn't sit on the sidelines and wait till all the action was over before they joined in.

Bill's hand tightened on the handle of his (Ron's) broomstick as Luna was dragged away from Remus and the werewolf succumbed to multiple stunning spells. Not sure if it was fortunate or not, the Death Eaters pulled both from the water and hauled them onto dry ground where the rest of the fighting was dying down.

Bill silently crept behind, climbing up the bank farther down shore and then walking as softly as possible on the ground.

Hermione had been tied up, a large collar placed around her neck. Blood soaked the front of her shirt and dribbled down her chin and Bill felt himself panicking. But when he noticed Draco in a similar state, also with a collar, he realized it was from biting Death Eaters as wolves. Of course they would be covered in blood. Still though…

Luna and Remus both received the same collars before they too were roughly tied up and pushed to the side. Tonks was the only one who was still conscious, though it was obvious that it was through sheer willpower alone.

The auror was sporting multiple cuts and bruises were already forming. Her hair was a crimson red, her eyes flashing a demonic red as well.

Oh yes, Tonks was royally pissed off.

"The report?" Lucius drawled as he approached the bound auror, hair streaming like a silken banner in the breeze.

"All have been captured, Sir," said Guido, stepping forward. "We lost fifteen to the killing curse and thirteen to the wolves and Phoenix. Nine are injured with multiple bite wounds."

"You put up quite the fight, didn't you?" Lucius said, turning his attention to Tonks. "You weren't expecting us at all. Shame, you would think that as an auror you would know not to light a fire when we were obviously tracking you."

"Then why didn't… you capture us… when you saw the fire?" she choked out, blood staining her lips.

"We knew you were looking for Dumbledore since he wasn't with you. And since we had no leads on his whereabouts we figured we'd let you do the legwork.

"And according to our scouts, you found Dumbledore earlier… but it looks like he's dead since he's not here now. In any case you now have the prophecy, which we need."

"It won't do you any good," Tonks spat.

"I'll be the judge of that. Now, the prophecy if you please?"

"Dumb bastard," Tonks said. "I'm sort of tied up here."

"Oh, my apologies. Marlin?"

Bill stiffened as a dark-haired, aristocratic looking man stepped towards Tonks, maliciousness etched in his expression.

This man…

This man…

…had killed his brothers.

…hurt Hermione…

…tried to hurt Ginny…

Now he had a face to put to the name. That horribly smug, devious face had been the one that killed his family. Tortured them.

Bill wasn't sure how he managed to stay still and on the outskirts of the Death Eaters, rather than charging forward and wringing the man's neck, but he did.

"Hmmm," Marlin said, staring down at the auror, eyeing her figure. "I wonder where you might have hidden that prophecy. Maybe here?" he suggested, slipping his hand down the front of her shirt.

Tonks' eyes widened, but set right back into a glare, determined to not give him the satisfaction of her discomfort.

Grinding his teeth, Bill clutched the broomstick harder and willed himself to not get involved. No matter what that despicable excuse for a human being did.

"Ah, you're quite resilient," Marlin said, removing his hand after it had hovered for far too long. "Perhaps I should search a little lower?"

"Marlin, that's enough," Lucius said shortly. "Have your games later, we have business to attend to."

If Tonks hadn't hated Lucius with every fiber of her being she might have appreciated what he'd just done. But since she hated him, she assumed he was just in a hurry and didn't care a whit about her own well-being.

"Fine," Marlin said, brow furrowed in contempt. He then patted down her pockets like a normal search, and removed the folded piece of parchment seconds later. "Here. You make sense of it."

Lucius caught the paper deftly in his fingertips and put it into his own pocket after skimming it for a moment. "Now that that's in order, we shall return. Escort the wounded back and the rest of you take the bodies to the morgue. As for the prisoners, myself and Marlin will handle them. You are dismissed."

Bill weighed his options as the Death Eaters ran around following Lucius' orders. He assumed they were all heading for the same place, and it would be much safer to travel with a less powerful Death Eater rather than both Lucius and Marlin. But what if they didn't go to the same place and he ended up somewhere useless?

Still though, arriving alive was the first priority and he wasn't sure he'd accomplish that traveling with the two top Death Eaters.

Decision made, Bill hurried over to where two Death Eaters were preparing to apparate, an injured wizard between them. Praying that he didn't get splinched and remain like that, Bill grabbed onto the back of the injured Death Eater, who was unconscious and didn't notice.

And with a pop they left the clearing.

Lucius and Marlin managed to drag all of their new prisoners into one bunch, only Tonks still awake.

The blond knelt down next to Draco and gently turned him over so his face wasn't pressed in the dirt and ran a finger lovingly down the blood coated cheek.

"Don't be a hypocrite, Lucius," Marlin sneered, propping the werewolf up against Luna. "We should hurry back."

"Yes, yes," the other man said, not really paying all that much attention. He still though hoisted Draco up and propped him into the circle, leaning against Hermione and Luna. Marlin then proceeded to drag Tonks into the group , the auror not able to protest as he shoved her into the circle.

Lucius reached into his other pocket that didn't hold the prophecy and pulled out a decent sized ruby, the facets shining like the blood all over the ground.

"Ready?" he asked, placing the stone in the gap between the renegades and then stepping into the hole they had left, Marlin doing the same.

"Of course."

Lucius smirked and flicked his wand at the ruby. And the nauseous feeling of being teleported via portkey seized Tonks' stomach and that was the last she knew.

xxx

Hermione awoke to a fierce pounding in her head and an even greater pain in her side. Not to mention the coppery taste that seemed to fill her mouth.

Gagging on the blood, the now human girl attempted to lick her lips, but only tasted more blood. She opened her eyes, but was met with blackness and for the vaguest second she thought she'd gone blind. Rational thought took over quickly enough though and she realized that someone had put a blindfold on her.

"D-Draco?" she stuttered, but didn't hear her voice at all.

"Ah, you're awake," said the chillingly familiar voice of Marlin right next to her. "You're under the silence charm so speaking is useless. However, if you care to tell us who the prophecy means we'd be glad to take the charm off. You just need to nod yes."

Vehemently, Hermione shook her head, wincing and awaiting the sure kick to her already damaged side she was sure she would receive. But none came.

Instead, the blindfold was ripped off and she found herself staring into the glittering black eyes of Marlin. He dropped her head and strode over to where she saw everyone else lay bound and blindfolded, except for Draco who was missing. She felt her stomach sink at the implications that meant.

"Now," said Marlin walking over and lifting Luna up by her hair, the blonde girl not even stirring, "if you don't want me to kill this girl right here and now you'll tell me everything you know."

Hermione gave a feeble shake of her head, not even knowing what she would tell him. She had no idea to the prophecy's message.

"Well then, I guess her life is meaningless to you." He pointed the tip of his wand at her head. "Avada K-"

Hermione kicked her legs against the ground, anything to make noise and get Marlin's attention. Tears were pricking at her eyes and she hated the way that Marlin looked at her when he lowered his wand.

"You'll talk then?" he asked.

After a second she gave the barest hint of a nod and he smirked. "Very well then. I'll spare this girl for now." Letting Luna's head clunk against the stone floor, he turned his attention once more to the Gryffindor and undid the silencing charm.

"Where's Draco?" she demanded.

"I think I'm the one who's supposed to be asking the questions," Marlin said. "But if you must know he's off with his dear father. Now, what can you tell me about the prophecy?"

"I don't know anything," she said softly after a minute. "We found it just before you came."

"Liar," he hissed.

"No! Honest! None of us have any idea."

"That's not good enough," Marlin said, heading back to Luna's fallen form.

"STOP!" Hermione screamed, unable to watch one of her friends be killed right in front of her.

Marlin ignored her and proceeded to kick the Ravenclaw in the side, sending her sprawling across the floor. "STOP IT!" she cried, tears running down her cheeks and mingling with the blood already there.

Another kick sent Luna to hit the opposite wall, blood leaking from a wound on her head.

"The First!" Hermione sobbed, "We think the First is Harry!"

"Oh?" Marlin said, turning to her. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"We… we don't know," she whispered, her eyes lowered to the ground. "B-but Harry was originally the chosen one… and he was the first. But that's all."

"Very well," said Marlin. "For your cooperation I'll allow you all to return to your cells as you are. I'll even remove the blindfolds. Most of you will be dead soon anyway."

"W-what do you mean?"

"We're going to have a party," he said, sadistic grin on his face. "And you lot are the entertainment. Don't worry though… I'll make sure to keep you around for at least another day. There's so much I haven't been able to do to you yet."

Underneath the blood, Hermione grew several shades paler at the implication.

"Don't look like that, I'll try to have it at least be a little enjoyable before I kill you. Your friend too," he said with a nod at Tonks. "I like her already.

"Now, come along. If you talk once I'll silence you again. And there will be no talking once you return to your cell. The guards there were given permission to do what they wanted with those who speak. And they're really itching to inflict some pain. Do we have an accord?"

Hermione gave a half-hearted nod and winced as Marlin yanked her to her feet, where she wavered unsteadily with vertigo. She wasn't able to protest though, for fear he might silence her once more. At least with her voice useable she could yell something if she absolutely had to.

Remus, Tonks, and Luna were all hovered in the air via Marlin's wand and he gestured for her to walk next to him, the deathly still bodies floating behind them.

She desperately wanted a drink of water; a lake might have been just enough. Anything to get the taste of blood out of her mouth, but asking was pointless because she knew she would be refused.

Quite honestly she was surprised she was able to walk; her ribs protesting painfully with each step. Her head still hurt and she felt unbalanced to the point where the ceiling was down and the floor was up. Concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other was how she kept as sane as she was able to in the current situation.

She did notice that Bill was not with them. Since the Death Eaters would probably taunt her with the loss of one of her comrades or at least make sure she knew how they'd killed him, she had to reason that they hadn't caught Bill. And she really, really hoped that he would come and save them.

Because she knew she couldn't.

Right now the only thing she could do was puzzle over what she remembered of the prophecy and try to figure out what it meant. If she knew who it referred to and what it meant to Voldemort. If she could find that out, then maybe she could do something. It was her brains after all that she'd always relied on and this time was no different.

As she shuffled along she was reminded all the way back to her first year at Hogwarts when they had naively thought they were following Snape to stop him from taking the Philosopher's Stone. She and Harry had ended up in Snape's own test and it had been up to her to solve the riddle to allow them to pass safely from the room.

Everything had turned out all right then. Was it wrong to hope that the same would happen now? That she'd miraculously figure this prophecy out and that they'd all be all right?

She just wanted to go back to the life she'd had. With the carefree smiles, hopes for the future, and her best friends by her side. And with her new friends and boyfriend as well.

Right now though she should have been promoting S.P.E.W. and working at the ministry for Creatures rights. Harry and Ron would both be fantastic aurors, and Harry would finally have proposed to Ginny.

But really, she shouldn't have expected a fairytale ending like that. It was unrealistic, especially since she was best friends with the "chosen" one. It was pretty much guaranteed that she would suffer for it. But the good times outweighed the bad. And she had to rely on the good times to get her through this so she would be able to see more good times ahead.

It couldn't end here.

She and Draco couldn't have escape for nothing. They couldn't have found Tonks and Remus. Luna and Dean. They couldn't have found the prophecy if they weren't meant to have found it.

Draco was right though… she was a hopeless optimist. But all she had left was hope. Hope that Bill would come through. That she'd think of the solution to the prophecy. And that the solution would actually help them.

The familiar hallways of rough cut stone and flickering torches greeted her as she descended down towards the dungeons. It was quiet down there, the only sound coming from the tapping of her and Marlin's feet as they walked down the steps.

It seemed like such a long time ago that she'd been back here. Once she and Draco had escaped she truly believed that the only time they would return to this place was when they were launching a rescue. She had never expected to be back a prisoner with nothing to show for the time she'd spent outside.

It wasn't fair, either. She'd had the chance to breathe fresh air, take a shower, eat food, read books, and pretend like there was no war. Everyone else had been subject to the Death Eaters cruel treatment and confinement in the cells. And worse… she didn't know what had happened to her friends after she'd left.

The worst she could think of was that someone had been killed. She didn't want to think that, but she knew it was a very real possibility.

All too soon she entered the dungeon chamber, where the rows of cells gleamed menacingly in the flickering torch light. Unlike when shed last been here, there were three guards posted in the hall, all standing at attention when they saw Marlin.

"I trust that there's been no trouble here?" the silky-smooth voice of Marlin asked, giving Hermione a little push forward. She craned her neck to see into the cells, but was unable to make out anything save for dark shapes in the far corner of one.

"No, sir. It's all been quiet. Where would you like to put them?"

"Put these two," he said, gesturing at Tonks and Remus, "each in their own cell. Put the two girls together. We'll commence shortly; we're just waiting on Lucius."

"Ah," said one of the guards knowingly. "How did the capture go?"

"They put up a fight, but it was useless in the end. Just as we knew it would be," he smirked. "Make sure nothing happens until the party."

"Yes, sir," they all said. With a nod and a flourish of his robes, Marlin made his way back upstairs and out of the dungeons.

Hermione was shoved towards an empty cell at the end of the line, and she quickly glanced in each cell as she passed, eyes widening as they saw her.

In the cell on her left sat Pansy, Fred, and Lavender. Across from them were Neville, Hannah… and was that Blaise Zabini?

Also on the right she spotted Dean and Ginny, and she was put in the cell across from theirs; Luna being thrown in with her a second later. Tonks and Remus got cells to themselves across from each other, with Remus next to Hermione.

"So nice of you to bring some friends for us," said one of the Death Eaters as he locked Hermione's cell. "Really, you're too kind."

Hermione turned her head and ignored him, deciding to concentrate on placing Luna in a more comfortable position against the wall.

She looked up a minute later and locked eyes with Ginny, the redhead looking so forlorn that Hermione almost turned away again.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed, gazing down at her unbound hands, the only one without them. Ginny gave her a half-hearted smile and leaned back against the wall next to Dean.

For the tenth time since her capture, Hermione tried to activate her animagus form, but she only felt a sharp pain in the side of her neck. The newfound collar that had been put on her was her guess as to why she couldn't transform. If it weren't being used on her, she'd have been quite fascinated at the magic behind the charm… she'd never seen anything like it.

But right had she to marvel at the inventions of Death Eaters? Everyone had been counting on her and she'd let them down. And in just a little bit they were going to die for it.

Tears pricked once more at her eyes as she realized the hopelessness of the situation. Unless Bill came, there was no one to save them.

They would just fade away into the abyss of time. No one except the Death Eaters would know of their end, nor would anyone care.

They were just obstacles that were in the way, and like all obstructions they would be destroyed.

The last few months had shown her what she had never realized she'd missed until it had been taken away.

But now… now she truly understood what it felt like to lose something and know that you would never get it back.

Gryffindors did not accept defeat easily. They struggled and persevered until they won. But not this time. This time they had lost.

They lost the battle.

They lost the war.

They lost their freedom.

And now they would lose their lives.

**Author's Notes:**

I've got several announcents. First, sorry for the long wait on the contest. Sadly, there was only one entry T.T Thanks to xthreexweekxfadex for particpating-- she actually got the person right! Congrats! But since none of the other parts were solved there's going to be no prize. Stay tuned though, there might be something else coming up in other fanfics of mine.

Secondly, I mentioned this in SOTP but since only 14 people havelooked at it I doubt anyone knows. My dad was in danger of losing his job two days ago and I just found out about an hour ago that he's officialy been let go. And his bosses, stingy convinning people that they are, are denying him his severance pay that was stated in his contract. So we'll probably be going to the lawyers very soon. If you could keep him and my family in your prayers it would be very appreciated. I know we'll get through this, but between my sister and I in college, the mortgage, and no income it's going to get tough around here. If updates slow I ask that you please understand. Thank you.

That said, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. It kind of got dark again (hehe, ooops) and next chapter isn't looking bunnies and rainbows, but it's all coming to a close and there should be a semi-happy ending... as long as the plot stays on track :P

Thanks for reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter.


	29. There's No Escaping Me, My Love

**Black is Our World**

**There's No Escaping Me, My Love**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_Darling, there's no sense in running  
You know I will find you  
Everything is perfect now  
We can live forever_

_You can't abandon me_  
_You belong to me_

_Breathe in and take my life in you_  
_No longer myself only you_  
_There's no escaping me, my love_  
_Surrender_

_--Surrender, Evanescence_

_xxx_

_xxx_

When Draco came to he was lying face down on something soft, yet coarse, and the taste of blood was clear on his lips. He remained still for a few seconds, before the battle flashed and the image of Hermione lying so still on the ground flashed in his mind.

He leapt to his feet, at first slightly confused as to why he'd managed to do that (shouldn't he be tied up?) before a low chuckle pervaded the room. He stiffened, standing on top of what he now realized was a towel, and turned slowly towards the sound.

Lucius was perched on the edge of his king-sized bed, blond hair tied neatly back and a cruel smirk on his face. "Finally awake, Draco? I didn't think you were hit that hard."

Draco remained silent, eyes darting around the room like a caged animal, taking in the heavy door and Lucius' wand resting in his fingertips. Escape would be futile. But he wasn't going to... he would fight this time. He wouldn't just be Lucius' puppet.

"What, no greeting for your father?" Lucius asked with fake enthusiasm, spreading his arms wide as if waiting for a hug. "I'm appalled by your manners."

"I'm appalled by you so I guess that makes us even," Draco said, breathing an inward sigh of relief when his voice didn't show any of the nervousness he was feeling.

Lucius just shook his head, small smirk of amusement playing over his lips. "You've certainly gained some lip after being away for so long. Don't worry though; I'll make sure to fix it."

The man stood and gestured to a door to the right of Draco. "Why don't you go wash up, Draco? I'd hate for you to get that awful blood and dirt all over my bed."

Draco stood still, thinking over his options. He did want to wash the blood off of him, but he didn't want to be a more vulnerable target. But perhaps he could use this free reign to his advantage. With a stiff nod he walked to the door and shut and locked it behind him, knowing it would do little good but feeling more secure.

The bathroom was as large as he expected it to be, a huge mirror taking up almost the entire far wall. Draco winced when he saw his appearance. Blood covered his entire chin and neck, soaking into the top of his shirt and over his arms. Even his teeth and lips were coated in the now drying substance. Draco resisted the urge to gag.

He stepped to the sink first and stripped off the soiled shirt and let it drop to the floor. Grabbing the washcloth from the shower, he ran the sink and began to scrub away the blood and rinse out his mouth, the taste of clear water heavenly.

Once most of the blood was removed he could see the injuries he'd received in the fight: several bruises across his torso, a cut down his cheek, and his arms were battered with scratches. A collar of some sorts hung around his neck, and Draco touched it experimentally. There didn't seem to be a latch so he left it alone and headed for the shower. He turned on the spray, pulled the curtain, and then backed away from it to stand behind the door.

If there was one thing he knew about his father, it was that he didn't grant favors without expecting something in return. And letting Draco use his private bathroom was one of them. Considering what Lucius wanted from him, catching him unawares in the shower couldn't be a better opportunity.

Draco had no plans on letting that happen. He moved to transform into his wolf form, his only real advantage, when he felt a sharp pain in his neck. His hand immediately went to the collar. Who'd have known that the Death Eaters could come up with something like that?

He let loose a soft sigh and crouched down behind the door again. The main door for sure would be locked, so he'd need Lucius' wand in order to open it. That meant incapacitating the man, taking the wand, and then hoping beyond rational hope that he could get everyone out.

Draco didn't have to wait long. Within a few minutes the door clicked silently open and Lucius entered, eyes set on the shower. As soon as he was past the door Draco made his move. Rushing out, he tried to sneak up on the man quietly from behind and catch him in a stranglehold. But Lucius seemed to have eyes in the back of his head.

The man whirled around, wand drawn and a frown on his face. "Stupefy!" he shouted, and Draco dodged at last second, rolling across the ground and coming up in front of the sink. "Did you think I wasn't expecting that?" Lucius drawled, twirling the wand idly in his hand as he stared at his crouched son.

"I was hoping so," Draco replied honestly, slowly standing up and sliding into a defensive stance; one foot back and fists slightly raised. "I also hope that you weren't expecting this to be like last time. Because it won't."

Lucius chuckled. "I'll just think of this as foreplay then. And look, you're already stripping for me, how nice. Don't worry though, you'll be screaming in no time."

Draco just glared and then dashed forward, ducking his head and smashing into Lucius in a full-on head butt. Lucius let out a burst of air at the impact as both hit the floor, Draco automatically reaching for the wand.

"Let go," Lucius snarled as Draco clenched his hand around Lucius' wrist and squeezed, hoping for the wand to drop.

"Then let me go," Draco growled back, kicking out and catching Lucius in the stomach with his knee. The man groaned again and his grip on the wand loosened. Draco had to allow himself the barest of grins as he wrenched Lucius' arm towards him. All those years of playing Quidditch had given him muscle and with his leg back in commission and fully fed his father, who relied solely on his wand unless he was beating him, had no chance.

With an audible snap, Draco bent Lucius' wrist backwards and the wand clattered to the floor. Draco drove his hand that had been pressing on the wrist into Lucius' face and then scrambled away, hand landing on the wand and clutching it to him like a lifeline.

He knew that due to his father's constant fear of his wand being turned against him, it had been spelled so that no spell would activate against Lucius with it unless Lucius was the one holding it. Both a curse and a blessing, as if he were to be injured and could not heal himself and the other person had no wand he'd be in trouble. Right now though, it prevented Draco from petrifying his father.

So he settled for giving the man a hard kick to the ribs and then dashing out of the room, slamming the door behind him and racing from the main door. A quick _Alohamora _later and it swung open and Draco prepared to dash off in search of his friends.

He wasn't prepared to see Marlin standing just outside, hand raised to knock. The two stared at each other for a split second, registering who they were seeing, before wands were raised and spells shouted. Marlin's _crucio _overpowered the _stupefy_ and Draco fell back inside the room, teeth clamped shut but body shaking with pain. Marlin quickly disarmed him and conjured a set of ropes around both Draco's hands and feet and then released the curse.

"Oh Lucius," he called, toeing Draco disdainfully. "I found something of yours."

Lucius hobbled out of the bathroom, hair falling out of his ponytail, a bruise already forming on his face along with a bloody nose, and from the way he was walking considerable pain in his stomach.

"Tut tut," Marlin said, "you look dreadful. Been in a fight with a dragon?"

"What do you want?" Lucius snarled, a slight flush to his cheeks. Draco smirked from his vantage point on the floor; was Lucius embarrassed? But the expression faded away and he closed his eyes miserably, knowing that he'd just failed again.

"The Dark Lord grows impatient to start the party," Marlin said, leaning nonchalantly up against the doorframe. "He asked me to come get you and your _precious _son so that we could start." Marlin could almost see the protest forming on Lucius' lips so he waved his hand and replied, "You'll of course have more time with Draco afterwards… we're leaving the sacrifices alive, of course, for a while longer and I desire a few entertainment pieces of my own."

Draco stiffened. Sacrifices? So Bill was right, the Death Eaters were planning a ritual of some kind. But what? And was he one of them?

"Very well," Lucius said after a moment. "Draco and I will be there in a few minutes."

Marlin inclined his head and swept from the room, leaving the two Malfoys alone. Draco glared up at Lucius from his position on the floor but said nothing.

"You can expect retribution for your actions," Lucius said, holding his wand once more and heading for the bathroom. "I will not let you forget the shame you just caused me."

While Lucius cleaned himself up, Draco tried furiously to loosen his bonds, but only ended up with chaffed wrists and an aching foot from slamming it into the solid oak bedpost. When Lucius reemerged a few minutes later he looked as impeccable as he normally did and showed no signs of being the loser of their scuffle.

"Time to go, Draco. I'm sure you'll have a lovely time," he said, hauling the boy to his feet and undoing the ropes on his ankles. Draco knew better than to try and run. He'd get nowhere, so he resolutely allowed Lucius to push him down the hall.

"What was he talking about?" Draco finally asked after a few seconds.

"Oh, we're just having fun with some of the useless prisoners," said Lucius, wicked smirk adorning his face. "Some torture and games and then ultimately death. But I'll make sure I'm the only one that touches you. You're just an observer in today's festivities."

Draco paled and tried to grind his feet uselessly into the ground to prevent going forward. He'd escaped only to come back and see all those that had been counting on him die slow and painful deaths? This could not be the end. He would not allow this to be the end.

"There's no point in resisting, Draco," Lucius said, pushing the boy down the hall once more. "You and your little friends had your chance. As you can see, there's no besting the Dark Lord."

As they marched down the long hall, Draco could only hope that something would happen, that something would save them. Because otherwise there was no escaping this fate.

xxx

Bill had absolutely no idea where he was. He'd arrived in a room that seemed to serve as an apparating point and the Death Eaters he'd hitched a ride with had gone off towards an infirmary of sorts. Bill didn't bother following, as with everyone heading in the same direction he was more than likely to be found out by someone bumping into him.

He'd taken off in the opposite direction and was now wandering stone corridors that were lit with very ominous flickering torches. Death Eaters really had no sense of originality, he sighed. The stronghold was bigger than he'd imagined and it wasn't helping that now he couldn't even find a single bloody Death Eater—he would never forgive himself if something happened to everyone while he was wandering around lost.

He came to a junction and paused, staring down both identical corridors. Really, couldn't there be signs or something? After a moment's indecision, he started off down the right corridor, a smile making its way onto his face when he heard voices. Maybe he'd learn something from them.

Speeding up, he found a small group of Death Eaters all laughing amiably and strolling down the hall seemingly without a care in the world. Bill blinked. He hadn't expected to see Death Eaters being able to appear so happy… they were rotten to the core and he wondered for a moment if they weren't all bad.

"It's going to be great," one of them said, almost skipping. "I'll finally get to practice out my new fire curse I've been working on."

"I can't wait to hear their screams," another chuckled. "I wonder if we'll spare anyone."

"Nah," said yet another. "Where's the fun in that? I say we kill them all."

Bill stopped, horrified, but slightly relieved. They were just as evil as he'd imagined, but knowing that they were most likely talking about his family and friends was alarming. What were the Death Eaters planning? He fell into step behind them, praying that whatever he was heading towards he could help prevent.

A few minutes later he stepped out into a large room, almost as big as Hogwarts' Great Hall, but with none of the warmth. It was barren stone, save for a large platform like a stage erected in the middle and a gathering of Death Eaters swarming around and talking excitedly amongst themselves.

Bill moved towards an abandoned corner of the room and huddled against the cold stone, warily watching to make sure no Death Eaters found his hiding spot. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen soon and he needed to be ready to jump in incase anything bad was going to happen.

Well, he should probably amend that. Bad things were going to happen… he would only jump in if someone's life were in danger. He wasn't sure what he could do without giving away the only surprise attack they had and forfeiting his own life, so when he did show his hand it had better be for something absolutely necessary.

Otherwise there would be no saving anyone.

xxx

The Death Eaters guarding their cells were growing restless. Hermione knew that whatever they had planned for she and her friends would be arriving shortly and it terrified her. Luna had woken up about an hour ago and was observing everything through calm eyes, but Hermione could tell that she was just as frightened as the rest of everyone. The appearance of Dean had brightened Hermione's spirits at first – thank God he was still alive – but knowing that he soon wouldn't be quickly diminished her spirits.

She had been so grateful everyone she left behind was still here, that no one had been killed while she was gone. But it was because she and Draco had failed in their mission to stop Voldemort that they were all now going to be in real danger. And she had no idea what she was going to do. She would live to see at least another day if Marlin had his way, but the thought was not comforting in the slightest.

She'd have to watch her friends be tortured and killed and then she'd be at the mercy of Marlin later that night when he raped her. She'd rather die now with everyone then be on her own and have him touch her.

Hermione had been puzzling over the prophecy all day, wracking her brain for what it could mean. She was still so confused. Harry had to mean the First since he was the original "chosen one" and since his patronous was a stag it had antlers. But Harry was gone and if he was the First, then this person had to be the Second, she supposed. So it couldn't be Harry, and as far as she knew, no one else had a stag as either their animagus form or their patronous.

And what did silver sickle mean? The currency? What would be the point of having wizarding money in a case like this? It made absolutely no sense, but there had to be some explanation behind it all. She had come to the conclusion that Death represent Voldemort, or at least the Death Eaters in general, but what did it mean by that they couldn't kill the light? Was light a reference for the light versus dark battle they'd been waging? If so, that made no sense since they'd clearly killed many on the light's side. Or was it referencing this particular person?

And then it went back to this "chosen" mumbo-jumbo. It said that the first chosen would aid whoever this Second was, but Harry was dead. He wouldn't be aiding anyone unless he had never been the real chosen one. Could there have been someone else that was the First instead?

Then the end talked about the darkness being nevermore and flying. Hermione's first thought was of a raven, but she doubted a wizarding prophecy was quoting Poe. Plus, ravens signified darkness and that didn't conjure up a hopeful image. But Hermione wasn't doubting irony at this point. Perhaps a crow or a vulture would rescue them.

She sighed softly and rested her head on her knees. She was an optimist, a believer that things would always turn out all right. Granted, she'd become more realistic in the past few months, but she still clung to the hope that it couldn't end this way. That someone would swoop in and save the day right before things went from bad to devastating.

Hermione was jerked out of her thoughts by a nudge from Luna. The Ravenclaw, still bound and silenced, shook her head slightly to bring her loose hair over her shoulders and mouthed "braid." Hermione blinked. Of all the things in a time like this and Luna wanted her hair braided?

The brief spark of anger died as soon as it had risen as she saw the beginnings of tears in the girl's eyes. This would be the last time, of course, for anything even remotely normal. Luna was going to be killed today; she wouldn't be alive in a few hours. Who was Hermione to not indulge one of her last wishes?

The Gryffindor nodded and scooted behind Luna. Finger-combing the pale blond hair was peaceful and normal… Hermione dearly missed normal. Since she figured this would be the last time she got to braid anything, Hermione decided to go all out. After parting the blond strands, she started to French braid it into a neat plait down Luna's back.

By the time she'd finished, taking her time, it was halfway down Luna's back and the guards were standing at attention as Marlin entered the dungeon.

"The festivities are ready to commence," he said in his lazy drawl, black eyes glittering. "We're just missing the main entertainment. See to it that they all arrive in the hall properly, will you?" he said, turning to the guards. "And the Dark Lord does not like to be kept waiting."

He swept from the room, black robes fluttering, and all the guards turned their attention to the prisoners. "Time's up," said one of them, going to the nearest cell –Tonks' – and unlocking it as other Death Eaters went to other cells.

"It'll be okay," Hermione whispered softly to Luna as a Death Eater came and unlocked their door. "Everything will be all right."

Luna was wrenched up by her arm and Hermione swiftly followed, meekly following the Ravenclaw out of their cell. Everyone else was gathered in the hallway, wands fully trained on them as they were forced along the corridor and towards the hall that so many horrible things had happened in.

They were all quiet, either via the silencing charm or because they could think of nothing to say, only the muted sound of their feet on the ground and the swish of the Death Eater's dark robes. All too soon they entered the room where it seemed all the Death Eaters in the keep had shown.

The group was shoved up and onto the platform in the middle, all of them being forced to kneel at one side of it with the watchful Death Eater guard standing next to them. Hermione spotted Draco coming in, Lucius' hand on his bare shoulder, but the Slytherin seemed to be okay – all of the blood that Hermione could still feel caked on her was washed off the Slytherin. She had done her best to wash some of it off with the meager amount of water in their cell, but she'd really only gotten it off of her lips and teeth and probably some scrubbed away from her mouth. If she saw herself in a mirror right now she'd probably scream.

He was led up on stage and forced to his knees alongside them, shaking his head slightly at Tonks' inquiring eyebrow. Hermione had noticed when Lucius had walked over he seemed to be favoring his side and despite the circumstances felt a small smile. Draco had certainly put up a fight.

The chattering of the Death Eaters was growing louder, but all of a sudden it quieted instantly and Hermione felt the back of her neck prickle. She had no doubt who had just entered the room.

And as Voldemort swept up the steps to the stage, red eyes glimmering with malice, she stared back unflinchingly.

She was a Gryffindor. She would probably never escape… but she would still never surrender.

**Author's Notes:**

At long last I am back. Hooray! I finally buckled down on this over my spring break and decided I wanted to get a story finished. I'm estimating two chapters after this and if all goes according to plan I should update approximately every two weeks. I was going to wait till Sunday to publish this, but my annoying twin kept bothering me so here it is now.

I thank you all for your support and I would love, love, love to hit 1500 reviews by the time BOW if finished. That's probably an impossible goal, but I like aiming high and I like the number. So help me out? Let me know of your thoughts on the chapter, favorite parts, what you want to see, your guesses on the prophecy... anything.

Also, if anyone is interested, I would love to get some feedback on a short story I wrote for my fiction class. So far my professor has hated my first two, so I'm hoping this one will be a bit better. If you'd like to read it just let me know in a review and make sure you have a working e-mail address. Your comments for it would be much appreciated.

Thanks everyone!


	30. I Need a Hero to Save Me Now

**Black is Our World**

**I Need a Hero to Save Me Now**

**Warnings: Shouldn't have to say this, but there is some heavy-violence and explicit scenes/imagery ahead. **

_xxx_

_xxx_

_I've gotta fight today  
To live another day  
Speaking my mind today  
My voice will be heard today_

_I've gotta make a stand_  
_But I am just a man_  
_I'm not superhuman_  
_My voice will be heard today_

_It's just another war_  
_Just another family torn_  
_My voice will be heard today_  
_It's just another kill_  
_The countdown begins to destroy ourselves_

_I need a hero to save me now_  
_I need a hero, save me now_  
_I need a hero to save my life_  
_A hero will save me just in time_

_I need a hero to save my life_  
_I need a hero, just in time_  
_Save me just in time_  
_Save me just in time_

_Who's gonna fight for what's right?_  
_Who's gonna help us survive?_  
_We're in the fight of our lives_  
_And we're not ready to die_

_Who's gonna fight for the weak?_  
_Who's gonna make 'em believe?_  
_I've got a hero, I've got a hero_  
_Living in me_

_--Hero; Skillet _

_xxx_

_xxx_

"Welcome," Voldemort hissed to the crowd of Death Eaters, all gathered adoringly around the stage. "This night of festivities comes to us with even greater importance and significance than it did last night. Our little sheep have wandered back to us and brought friends for our enjoyment as well."

A loud cheer went up and Hermione and Draco both flinched, their actions had been the reason four others were now with them. They would be responsible for their deaths.

"With their return we now have all of our necessary …ingredients…," Voldemort said, emphasizing the last word. "This means that we now have several useless components as well that should be discarded. And so I open the floor to all of you and ask who you'd like to see go first."

Screaming broke out all around them, names being tossed around like confetti and angry threats and curses plaintively yelled.

Voldemort finally raised a hand for silence. "Since none of you seem to be able to agree, we'll just have to have more than one go at a time." Approval rang out for this idea and Voldemort smirked. "Very well then, let's have Mr. Longbottom and Miss Brown join us up on stage."

Both were hauled up roughly from their spots, Neville protesting to the end and Lavender walking forward, face pale and frightened, but braced. She knew what was coming. The prisoners that could still talk were shouting at the Death Eaters, but knew that their pleas fell on deaf ears.

"Now, now, what to do with you," Voldemort said, standing and facing the two that were in front of them, hands still bound behind them. Lavender was trembling, brown eyes wide with fear while Neville stood more resolute, hands clenched in his bindings and an almost protective stance partly in front of his fellow Gryffindor. He knew it would do no good, but he would try.

"Bellatrix," Voldemort called out, and the dark-haired witch hurried to his side, eyes glinting maniacally. "I believe you deserve the first honor for Mr. Longbottom."

She cackled and swooped towards Neville, who stiffened as she paused just inches from him. "Thank you, my lord," she said, not taking her eyes from the Gryffindor's face. "I'll make him scream just for you."

Neville glared at her, lips pressed resolutely together.

"Aww, look at him trying to be all tough," she cooed, running a finger down his cheek in an almost motherly gesture, before snapping it back and slapping him across the face. Neville didn't even waver as his head jerked to the side.

She pointed her wand at him, insane smile lighting her face. "Why don't you try the same curse I used on your parents? _Crucio!_"

After a few seconds of silent agony, Neville fell to the ground, biting into his lip so hard blood rolled down his chin. "Come on, scream for me," Bellatrix said, kicking him in the stomach.

All around the Death Eaters were yelling for blood, and after nearly half a minute a cry finally escaped Neville followed by more screams as Bellatrix recast the Cruciatus on his fallen form. Lavender had been all but forgotten for the moment, standing a few feet away as one of her best friends was tortured right in front of her.

She swallowed thickly, knowing that her next action would only bring the pain to her quicker. And yet, she didn't seem to care. She could not just stand here and watch this.

And so, running forward the few feet that separated her from the witch, Lavender head butted Bellatrix as best as she could and both women went down in a tangle of limbs. And with Bellatrix's concentration interrupted, the spell was, for the moment, lifted off of Neville.

Bellatrix was the first one on her feet and wrenched Lavender up by her hair, forcing the girl to rise to her knees. "Were you feeling left out?" Bella whispered, licking away the blood from where she'd bit her own lip. "Did you want to play too?"

Lavender just glared, even as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes from the pressure being applied to her scalp. "I was a bit b-bored," she bit out, a soft cry escaping her as Bellatrix yanked harder on her hair.

"Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint," the woman said, pushing Lavender away so the girl crashed back to the ground near Neville. "Having two to play with is always more fun. Marlin, would you like to join me?"

"With pleasure, my dear Bella," the silken haired man said, after receiving a nod of affirmation from Voldemort. The cheers from the gathered Death Eaters grew louder as their number one torturer approached the two prisoners.

"How about we try _flammatra _on them?" Bella asked, directing her look to Blaise, who visibly shuddered. Even in his hazy state back then that spell had stuck with him.

"But they don't have any real wounds yet," Marlin pouted. "The blood won't look so pretty."

"We can quickly change that," Bella grinned devilishly. She slipped a knife out of her boot and twirled it expertly. Marlin copied her, a dagger clasped in his hand. "I get my little Neville."

Marlin looked at Lavender almost hungrily. "Works for me."

Within seconds Neville had been stripped of his shirt, Bella not bothering to make sure she didn't cut into his skin when she removed it, and blood was running freely down his arms. "Pretty," she whispered, making another cut over his shoulder.

Marlin was attempting to do the same thing, but Lavender was trying to keep him away from her, face white. Hermione was screaming at Marlin to keep his "disgusting, filthy hands off of Lavender," knowing all too well the humiliation the man intended to inflict.

If Hermione had to draw any comfort, at least she'd been out of sight of almost everyone and it had been over relatively quickly. She doubted Lavender would receive the same treatment.

But even though Marlin hadn't been using his wand, he did seem the kind to enjoy a game of cat and mouse, he eventually caught Lavender—there was only so far the girl, her hands still bound behind her, could go.

"How about we have some fun?" he whispered in her ear, one hand clutching her by her hair and the other slipping beneath her shirt.

"Don't touch me," she growled softly as his dagger trailed gently down the length of her shirt and started to split it open.

"Or what?"

Lavender answered by stomping as hard as she could on his foot, knowing that if they were going to kill her she at least wouldn't let them have the satisfaction of going quietly. Marlin hissed in pain, and retaliated by slicing through the rest of her shirt, letting it flutter open and show her now faded pink bra.

The Death Eaters below the platform howled with delight as Marlin cut the shirt off from the shoulders and let it fall to the ground. "Should I remove this too?" Marlin asked the audience, fingering the bra strap. Lavender shuddered as the screams grew almost frenzied and knew as Marlin's fingers went to the clasp at the back what was coming.

But she was a Gryffindor, she would get through this. And so, head held high and tears threatening to spill over, Lavender stood resolute as she was laid bare from the waist up to the hungry eyes of the Death Eaters. She looked out above them, focusing on where the wall met the ceiling as she felt Marlin's hands come around front and run over her breasts. She didn't cry, even when he pinched her hard, showing her off to everyone. She would not cry or beg or plead. She would just will everything away and pretend that it wasn't happening.

Bill stood by in silent agony, wanting to charge up the stage and push the bastard away from the girl. It could just as easily be his sister up there, suffering under that man. And yet… Bill knew that giving away himself right now wouldn't fix anything. He'd only make himself another prisoner and hurt his siblings. He needed to jump in when he had an opening, when the Death Eaters weren't expecting it. He hoped that moment came soon.

Back up on stage Neville was trying to keep his own cries silent and scream instead on behalf of Lavender. He had a clear vantage point of his fellow Gryffindor and could see the bruises starting to form all over her skin and the blood leaking down her front and back where Marlin was toying with his dagger.

At least he wasn't being humiliated like her… at least he was only in physical pain. And as much as he wanted to help, there was absolutely nothing he could do except scream and hope that eventually Marlin became bored.

"Marlin," Bellatrix said after another minute, making a deep vertical line down Neville's back, "are you ready for _flammatra?_"

Marlin looked down at Lavender, her front and back all bloody with several cuts down her arms and one right above her right eye. He grinned. "I think we can try it now."

"I think we should invite an old friend back for it first," said Lucius, finally stepping away from Draco's side. "What do you think, my lord?"

"An excellent idea," Voldemort said. "Would you like to do the honors?"

"I would prefer to watch, if that is all right with you, my lord."

"Very well. Bella?"

"With pleasure," she said, stepping on top of Neville and then almost skipping over to where the prisoners were lined up.

A dark haired, pale-skinned young man was pulled out, resisting all the way as Bella yanked him along by his chained wrists.

"Blaise?" Draco whispered as one of his best friends was dragged by in front of him.

"Hey Draco," he said softly, before being pushed center stage and away from the other prisoners.

Draco stared in shock, a feeling of relief welling up inside as he saw Blaise alive, but quelling immediately when he realized just what kind of danger he was in.

Bella quickly set to carving lines into Blaise's flesh until he looked almost as bad as Neville. But like before, the psychotic witch left Blaise's face uncut, patting him on the cheek and telling him how she couldn't hurt such a pretty face.

The three prisoners lay face-down on the ground in front of Marlin and Bellatrix, bleeding backs and arms exposed for everyone to see. And on the count of three, both Death Eaters cast the Darkness Flame. Immediately a black fire seemed to cover their bodies and none could contain the screams that rose up. Seconds later, the fire seemed to disperse and then blood flew out of every cut and gash on their bodies in an arc of red and black.

Bella clapped her hands; looking positively giddy and even Voldemort released a small smile at the display. "Again!" she called out, readying her wand. Marlin happily obliged.

Their screams were quieter this time, not because the pain was any less, but they were already losing their voice. The hoarse sounds seemed to please Bella though.

She and Marlin let them lie there after the second time, gasping for breath and whimpering from the pain that had just ravaged their bodies. Lavender seemed on the verge of blacking out and Blaise wasn't faring much better—too much strain on his body in the last few days.

"I have another fun game to play," said Bellatrix, not perturbed at all by the blood coating her arms where it had sprayed up from Neville. "Let's see who can last the longest under the Cruciatus Curse."

Marlin smirked. "I like the sound of that. Shall we award points for those that scream the loudest?"

"Ooh, yes. The person with the most points gets the first _enervate._"

"I think we should start with the Zabini boy, what do you think?"

Bella nodded. "Works for me."

The two approached Blaise and released his hands from their bindings. He wouldn't be trying anything in his current state. And then, as one, they shouted, "_Crucio!_"

It only took a few seconds for Blaise to finally scream, body curling in on itself as though it would help to ward off the pain and his nails cut into his palms.

Draco was screaming form them to stop, and was only momentarily paused when Lucius hit up upside the head. When the older wizard realized that wasn't stopping his son, he simply cast the silencing charm and felt his smile grow at Draco's hopeless look.

Blaise's cries slowly died and when he had at last fallen unconscious, nearly two minutes later, Bella bent down and patted his cheek again, smiling almost motherly down upon him. It was one of the scariest things Hermione had ever witnessed.

"Now for the little lady," said Marlin, pulling Lavender up by her hair and once more garnering howls from the male Death Eater population. After removing her bonds as well, the two once more cast the third Unforgiveable Curse. Lavender suffered quietly for almost ten seconds before the first sob-scream came from her throat.

"This one's quite the little lioness, isn't she?" Bellatrix commented as Lavender let out a half-strangled scream, fighting to keep it locked inside. "A credit to you Gryffindors," she said, nodding her head at Neville. "Almost makes it a shame to kill them, doesn't it?"

"Almost," Marlin agreed as Lavender's body finally shuddered out its last cry and fell silent.

"Time for my Neville's turn," Bellatrix said happily. "You'll live up to your parent's standards, right Neville?" she asked, crouching down next to him and smoothing back his hair. "You'll scream as pretty as your mum did, right?"

"F-fuck off," Neville ground out while coughing up blood.

"That language of yours," she gasped. "What would your mum say?"

"Don't talk about… my mum."

"Aww, you're so cute when you're trying to be tough," Bellatrix said, rising to her feet. "But I think that's enough. Marlin?"

And for the third time in the last few minutes the duo cast the Cruciatus and listened delightfully to Neville's screams.

"So who do you think we should reawaken first?" Bellatrix asked once Neville's body went limp at her feet. "They've all been so much fun."

"I have a personal preference," Marlin said, looking at Lavender, the girl curled up on her side and leaving her chest exposed to his lecherous eyes. "But I think we should awaken all three. The more the merrier, right?"

"You have a point," Bella nodded. "Very well, let's wake them all up."

When Lavender came back into the world of the conscious, she moaned softly and hit her face in the crook of her arm, feeling hot tears sliding down her cheeks. She'd had enough and it had hardly even started, she was sure of it. They would keep going until they'd utterly humiliated them and had their fun and then finally dispose of them. And with Marlin there she doubted her torment would end anytime soon. She only hoped he didn't go any farther than he already had… she didn't think she could live through that.

Lavender felt herself being pulled up, Marlin's hands beneath her arms and she squirmed uselessly, every movement causing intense pain, as he held her up in front of him like some sort of trophy. "You know," he said, one hand tracing her breast with his fingertips, "I don't think it's fair that I'm the only one to get to enjoy her body, don't you think?"

Lavender paled even more and her breath caught as Marlin moved towards the edge of the stage and all of the other Death Eaters, still holding her in front of him. "Why don't you all have some fun with her? We'll need her back up on stage in a few minutes though, so don't take too long, all right?"

Her throat had closed off by that point, the screaming of her friends behind her sounding muffled and not entirely there, like she was hearing it from underwater. She was only aware of being lowered off the stage into the hands of other men, grabbing at her, sliding their hands inside of her pants and fondling her.

Marlin turned away from her dismissively and turned his attention back to the boys on stage, both who had been given a second wind at seeing their friend hurt so, and rage burned in their eyes. Neville had gotten one hand on the floor in front of him, trying to raise himself up, when Marlin's booted foot crashed down on it and he cried out at the bones in his fingers breaking.

"Leave her alone," Blaise snarled, reminded all too vividly of Pansy.

"But they're having so much fun," said Marlin. "It's unfair if only Bella and I get to play with the entertainment. A good host lets others join in too. Now come, why don't you scream for me again?"

The next few minutes passed by horribly slow for the prisoners. Hermione and everyone could only kneel and be forced to watch two of their friends undergoing excruciatingly painful curses while another was being offered up to the population of Death Eaters for their own amusement. At least when her torture of the same vein was inflicted she'd gone back to friends and held in their comforting arms. At least it had only been Marlin; with Dameo there to make sure things didn't get too out of hand. At least she'd known it would be over soon. Not Lavender. No one deserved her fate.

Marlin finally ended his last Cruciatus Curse on Blaise and walked to the edge of the stage, holding his hand out expectantly. Lavender was thrust forward, hardly anything left on her: just the collar and barely-there undergarments. Bite marks seemed to litter her skin and blood was dripping down her legs. She wasn't crying anymore though; just staring off blankly as if she'd locked herself away.

"I grow bored of these three," said Voldemort, sitting regally in his throne-like chair. "None are of any use to me, so rid them from sight at your discretion."

Bill, feeling ill from witnessing the tortures, took tentative steps forward towards the stage, doing his best to avoid the Death Eaters. He still didn't know what he could do, but they were going to begin the killings now. He couldn't let that happen.

He looked up towards the chained prisoners, drinking in the sight of his sister and brother. Ginny's face was tear-streaked, her hair a knotted mess and she was still screaming, even though her voice was almost gone. Fred was kneeling almost statue-like, eyes reflecting a hopelessness Bill never expected to see from him. He'd been screaming along with everyone since the beginning, but it appeared that he seemed to finally be accepting reality.

They were all going to die.

"I'm feeling kind," Bellatrix said, walking over to Neville. "I'll put you out of your misery and let you join your parents. How's that?"

Neville only glared, the look pitiful at best.

"Marlin, can you stand him up for me? I want everyone to see him fall."

Blaise only watched with glazed eyes as Neville was levitated so that his feet barely skimmed the surface of the stage, his arms hanging limp at his sides. He still managed to lift his head, to look Bella in the eye when she cast his death.

The screaming had started up again, but Neville felt strangely detached. He was going to die. He was really going to die. A tear made its way down his cheek as Bella backed up to stand next to Marlin and ready her wand. He hadn't been able to do anything… to save anyone. He'd failed them all. Blaise and Lavender would die, and then Luna and Dean and Professor Lupin. Then Hermione and that auror Tonks would be subjected to Marlin before they too died. And then one of the other girls would die, before the rest were sacrificed.

"Goodbye, Neville dearest," Bellatrix said. "Say hello to your mum and dad for me." She grinned and raised her wand. "_Avada Kedavra_."

Neville watched in morbid interest as the jet of green light closed in on him. And without even time to blink, it crashed into his chest and sent him flying backwards, landing dangerously near the edge of the stage. The Death Eaters broke into a rousing cheer and Bill stopped his sprint, feeling his stomach drop. He'd been too late. He'd managed to climb up on the stage in all of the commotion and was just a few feet away from Marlin, when Bellatrix had cast it. He remained frozen in that spot, knowing that any attention now would spell instant death for him.

Bellatrix stalked over to where Neville lay and yanked the boy up by his hair, cackling loudly as he swung limply in front of her. "This will be all of you," she said, mad glint in her eye. "You're all going to die!"

She dropped Neville back to the ground and stepped in front of him, feet planted firmly on the ground as she looked at her next victim, the dark haired Slytherin. She was so focused on the other prisoner that she didn't notice the soft gasp of surprise of some of the prisoners or the movement behind her until a fist slammed into the base of her neck and with a soft cry she crumpled to the ground.

Everyone turned to look and saw a boy, blood dripping down his face and eyes hard, standing behind her with Bellatrix's wand clutched in his hand. He took a shaky step forward, wand pointed at Marlin, disbelief etched in his features as well as everyone else's.

"Neville!" Ginny screamed, breaking the silence with her cry of delight.

"How…?" Marlin whispered, staring in shock. His shock quickly turned to pain as out of nowhere, his dagger which had been loose in his hand, was suddenly embedded in his stomach. Before he could even think of using his wand, the dagger removed itself and slashed across his neck, a stream of blood spraying outwards and somehow sticking to something in mid-air.

Marlin dropped like a stone and a hand out of seemingly nowhere grabbed the wand from the man's lifeless hand. He'd finally seen his chance, whatever the hell had just happened, and he wasn't going to lose it. Throwing the blood-stained invisibility cloak aside, Bill came out of hiding, his own wand pointed at Voldemort and the dagger pointed downwards at Marlin. His glare was directed to the latter.

"You won't hurt my family anymore."

"Bill!" Ginny squealed, the only one seemingly capable of speech, before Hermione echoed the cry, tears of relief now streaming down her cheeks.

"This is quite the turn of events," remarked Lucius, standing next to Voldemort's chair and not seeming alarmed at all.

Hermione's eyes were darting between Bill, who'd come just as she hoped, to Neville, who had somehow survived a point-blank killing curse. He'd survived a… her eyes widened, staring at the form of the boy, coated in blood and somehow still standing.

He was it. He was the one the prophecy had to be talking about. Death couldn't kill it had said, the Avada Kedavra was the killing curse. It made sense. The darkness of the seventh moon, that could mean the end of the seventh month, July, when Neville was born. The chosen, but not? Hadn't the original prophecy Harry had inherited mentioned something about July? Harry was the first chosen… was it possible that Neville could have had that chance as well? Could Neville have held the fame that Harry Potter had had? Could he have been the original chosen one?

Neville took another step forward towards Voldemort, Bella's wand shaking in his hand. It was taking all of his effort just to stand. But once his foot touched the ground and he raised his wand, a curse forming on his lips, a green light started to rise up, swirling around the room.

It was darker in color than the killing curse, almost an emerald. It seemed to snap angrily around those wearing dark robes and felt almost comforting to those chained.

The light started to condense next to Neville, swirling up in a cloud. The Gryffindor stood there, seemingly as well drawing comfort from the odd phenomenon. It slowly started to take shape until a figure stood there, form defiant and standing almost protectively in front of Neville.

And then an achingly familiar voice echoed around the suddenly silent chamber. "Voldemort," it said, flashing eyes matching the emerald smoke, "let's finish this."

**Author's Notes: **

So I actually changed the song lyrics at the top, which never, ever, happens. It was originally "Whisper," by Evanescence and I still think that song is a great fit for this chapter, but "Hero" wouldn't leave me alone, so here it is. I highly recommend listening to it :D

I'd love to hear your comments on the chapter -- missed a lot of you guys last chapter :(

See you again in two weeks for the grand finale!


	31. Cause You Know We'll Make it Through

**Black is Our World**

'**Cause You Know We'll Make it Through**

_xxx_

_xxx_

_You're not alone  
Together we stand  
I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand  
When it gets cold  
And it feels like the end  
There's no place to go  
You know I won't give in  
No I won't give in_

_Keep holding on  
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through  
Just stay strong  
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you  
There's nothing you could say  
Nothing you could do  
There's no other way when it comes to the truth  
So keep holding on  
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through_

_So far away  
I wish you were here  
Before it's too late, this could all disappear  
Before the doors close  
And it comes to an end  
With you by my side I will fight and defend,  
I'll fight and defend  
Yeah, yeah!_

_Keep holding on  
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through  
Just stay strong  
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you  
There's nothing you could say  
Nothing you could do  
There's no other way when it comes to the truth  
So keep holding on  
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through_

_--Keep Holding On; Avril Lavigne_

_xxx_

_xxx_

The whole room was deafeningly silent as the figure finished speaking. Even Voldemort appeared stunned.

The figured laughed, a green glow lighting along his body and giving him an almost ghostly appearance as he looked at Voldemort and Lucius. "What, nothing to say? How about 'welcome back?'"

Neville reached out his broken hand, tentatively bumping it against the figure and breath catching in his throat when he actually made contact. "H-Harry?" he whispered.

Harry Potter turned slightly and gave his friend a smile, eyes radiating warmth and courage. "It's good to see you, Neville."

"What is the meaning of this?" hissed Voldemort, his voice finally returned to him. He stood up, flat nostrils flared. "How are you alive?"

"I'm not," Harry said simply, glaring at the dark wizard. "I'm just here to help finish this battle."

The once boy-who-lived walked away from Neville, green cloud still swirling around his legs. He paused next to Bill and placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Thank you for looking after Hermione."

"No… no problem," Bill said, staring at Harry like he would disappear if he blinked. Harry continued his trek on stage, bending down next to Lavender, whose lifeless eyes still gazed beyond him.

"Hey Lav," he said softly, placing a hand on top of her head. At once the girl gasped, brown eyes filling with color once more as she blinked at him.

"Harry?"

"You're going to be okay," he said, running a hand through her hair. "I know it. You're a Gryffindor, right?" As he stood, a shimmering green light encased the girl and when it cleared a pure white dress covered her. "That better?"

She could only nod as she slowly sat up.

Harry gave her one last smile before kneeling next to Blaise. "Thank you for helping all of them."

"Just give the damn-snake bastard a punch from me and we'll call it even, okay?" Blaise said, smirk on his face despite the obvious pain he was in.

Harry grinned. "Deal."

Still unhindered, Voldemort seemed to realize that there was nothing that Harry was going to do at the moment, and he always liked a challenge so he saw no reason to stop this, Harry made his way to the line of prisoners, waving a hand and watching happily as a green glow enveloped them all for a moment.. "Hi, Professor, wotcher Tonks?" he greeted the werewolf and auror, chained next to each other.

"Harry," Tonks said softly, her hair slowly changing from black to purple, then blinking in surprise. She could speak again? Harry had somehow lifted the silencing charm.

"Good to see you, Harry," Lupin said, tears misting in his eyes.

"Good to be back."

Luna was next, and she gazed up at Harry with absolute adoration. "I knew you'd still help," she said, cocking her head in that pose she'd always done back in school. Harry swore he could almost see radish earrings.

"And I knew I'd always see you again," he grinned, reaching out and ruffling her hair.

The next person words weren't even necessary. Harry dropped to his knees and enveloped his best friend in a hug, burying his face in her hair.

"I missed you," she whispered, tears choking her words. "Oh, Harry…"

"I missed you too," he said, voice muffled. "God, Hermione, I missed you so much. I'm so sorry I left. I'm sorry I'll have to leave again."

"It's okay," she said, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him tight. "I understand. Just seeing you now is more than I could ask for."

"I love you," he said, squeezing her once more before starting to pull away. "And for the record, I approve of him."

Hermione grinned at that."Love you too," she whispered, relinquishing her hold as Harry stepped in front of Draco, who gazed back at him with calm silver eyes.

"Thank you for watching out for Hermione," he said. "You were there for her when I couldn't be."

"And she was there for me," he said, "and now you're here for us. Full circle, right Potter?"

"Harry," he corrected. "Thank you, Draco. For everything you've done."

"Then thank you, Harry, for what you're going to do."

Harry just smiled and stepped down to stand in front of Hannah, who gave him a wide smile. "Perfect timing, Harry," she said, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Thank you."

He grinned. "Thanks for keeping everyone together, Hannah. I know you're the best at that."

She smiled at him through her tears. "Hufflepuff till the end."

Pansy was next and she just smiled. "Good to see you, Harry."

"You too… as odd as that sounds." Both laughed for a second before Harry quickly sobered. "Thanks for watching over Ginny… you don't know how much that means to me."

"I have a good idea," she said, smile tugging at her face.

Harry stepped up to Fred next, the boy's eyes alive again and filled with the hope that had always shone there. "How's George doing up there?" he asked, voice choked.

"Worrying about you and everyone else," Harry said, bending down and giving the twin a quick hug. "I promise all of us are all right… that's all I'm allowed to say though."

Fred gave a shaky smile. "That's enough for me. Just tell him that I miss him and thank you… and give everyone my love, okay?"

"I'd already planned to."

Dean was next and the black boy gave him a full mega-watt smile. "Hope you don't mind we borrowed your invisibility cloak, Harry."

"You're welcome to keep it when all this is over," Harry said. And then, "So you and Luna, huh? I'm really happy for both of you."

Dean blushed. "Thanks, Harry. Now go kick some Voldemort butt, okay?"

Ginny was last in the line and by the time he reached her her eyes were flooded with tears, eyes shining. "Harry," she whispered, longing to throw her arms around him but the rope binding her wrists stopped her. "Harry…"

"Hey Gin," he whispered back, kneeling down and enveloping her in a tight embrace. "You doing all right?"

"I've been better," she said, nuzzling her cheek against his shoulder.

"I have to tell you something important," he said after a second. She looked up at him expectantly. "I love you, Ginny Weasley. And I always will."

"I love you too," she said, light blush on her cheeks. "Do you know how long I've wanted to say that?" she laughed lightly.

Harry leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I've always wanted to hear it," he said, breathing lightly against her ear. "But Gin, promise me something, all right? Promise me that you'll find someone else that will make you happy. I don't want you to be alone."

"Harry…"

"Promise, Gin?"

She sniffled, and then nodded. "Promise."

He gave her another soft kiss on the cheek and then stood, heading back towards Neville. By now, Voldemort had grown impatient with the whole routine. "You're beginning to become an annoyance, Potter," he said, drawing his wand from his sleeve. "What do you intend to do here?"

"Like I said, I'm here to help finish you."

"Not if I kill you first." He brandished the wand, ruby eyes narrowed. "_Avada Kedavra." _

Several people screamed but Harry just stood there as the green bolt crashed into him… and then through him, striking a Death Eater in the crowd.

"I'm not really alive so you can't really kill me," he grinned. "Sorry to disappoint."

The Death Eaters down below were shifting somewhat nervously, eyeing the second person in the last few minutes that had survived a killing curse. They liked it best when they were torturing people and on top… this turn of events was anything but in their control.

Harry had by now reached Neville again and plucked Bellatrix's wand from the boy's fingertips. "You won't be needing that," he said, breaking it in two and tossing it onto the stage.

Neville stared at him, flabbergasted. "Harry, that was sort of my only line of defense."

"Someone light like you shouldn't be using something so dark," Harry said, reaching into his back pocket and yanking out his wand. "Try this instead. Trust me."

Neville reached tentatively out for the stick, shrouded in the green glow as Harry was, and seemed almost surprised when he found it in his hand.

Farther back on the stage, Hermione gave a soft gasp, more pieces of the prophecy falling into place. "A song of fire," she whispered. "A phoenix." And while there was no phoenix here, Harry's wand had the core of a phoenix, the missing component and the one wand that could stand on par with Voldemort.

Harry placed his hands on Neville's shoulder, looking the other boy square in the eye. "It's up to you now, Neville. You're going to be the hero."

"What am I supposed to do?" he whispered, clutching the wand. "Harry, I don't know what to do."

Harry just smiled. "I know you will. Trust yourself and trust our friends."

Harry's body started to glow a brighter green and then slowly started to dissolve in front of everyone's eyes. "Harry! Where are you going?"

"My time's up," he said, voice echoing. "Now it's up to you to save everyone. I know you can do it."

Harry disappeared in a final swirl of green smoke, but when it cleared the faint, but silver form of his Patronous Charm, the stag, hovered in front of Neville, shaking its antlered head.

"This has gone on long enough," Voldemort snarled, readying his wand at Neville. "Now this time die!"

Neville had no time to duck and his shaky legs were barely holding him up, as the group watched in horror again, the light collided with his chest. But Neville didn't fall. He took a few staggering steps backwards, but remained standing, eyes narrowed.

"The prophecy, my lord," Lucius said quickly, staring at Neville. "He must be the one it is speaking about."

Hermione's mind was racing, trying to put it all together. So if Neville was the chosen one, he would be aided by the First chosen, do something with a phoenix song, couldn't die, and would banish the dark. But how did he banish the dark? What was he supposed to do? He hadn't even heard the prophecy, there was no way he would be able to discover it just standing there. She needed to _think._

Okay, so there was a part about the First's antlers glowing… that had to be the stag, and it was alongside a silver sickle. Sickle, sickle, what else did a sickle represent other than money? It was a farming tool, used for cutting. It was based on the shape of the curved blade that gave it that name, that half-moon shape. What else was that shape that could fly, as it talked about wings in the last few lines?

The word _falco _came suddenly to her mind—she'd been studying Latin so as to decipher a lot of the wizarding spells and work on creating a few of her own. _Falco_ was Latin for Falcon and was derived from the word _falx, _meaning sickle. Falcons had sickle shaped wings. And the line as a saint to guide the spirit… _Patron_ was Latin for saint. And almost all patronuses were animals… was it possible that Neville's was a falcon? Was that the answer?

"Neville!" she screamed, drawing his and everyone else's attention. "Use the Patronous Charm! Hurry!"

Voldemort glared in Hermione's direction. "Kill her," he instructed Lucius. "She has become a liability."

"Gladly," the blond haired man said, turning to face the line of prisoners. But the stag had other ideas and raced forward, going through Lucius and standing protectively in front of Hermione. Lucius had shuddered when the patronous touched him and had gone pale.

Neville meanwhile had decided to try out Hermione's advice… she was almost always right after all. "_Expecto patronum,_" he said quietly, putting all of his energy into concentrating on a powerful happy memory – he chose the one of him receiving those final 1o points for Gryffindor as it was one of his proudest – and prayed that it would work. He had never once conjured one even with all of those DA practices back in fifth year, but if Hermione said he had to now, then he had to hope.

And in a blast of silver light, a silvery form erupted off the wand. Neville stared in fascination as a falcon flew high into the air and circling around the stage before coming float next to him, its sharp eyes focused on Voldemort. Hermione gasped happily, almost not believing what had just happened.

All of the Death Eaters seemed to be uncomfortable with the two patronous spirits, some shaking and looking sick to their stomachs. It was almost as if they were in some sort of pain, Hermione thought, looking at Lucius, who too seemed to be unsteady.

The stag's glow in front of her was a radiant silver, it was shining so bright her eyes hurt. But then, she realized she'd describe it as radiant. The prophecy had said something about radiance… that it would scatter the black. And realization slowly dawned on her, from Lavender's new white dress to the dark Death Eater robes, to the silvery patronous charms, to the dark aura around Voldemort. The patronuses would chase away the darkness… but they couldn't do it on their own. It said only with others they would not fail, and previously it had mentioned how with others "it" would shine.

This time though, Hermione didn't shout out her discovery. She turned to Luna and then to Draco, whispering her message for them all to concentrate on their patronuses. They all needed to help.

Voldemort was done sitting around though, and he stormed towards Neville, robe billowing behind him and wand raised. "If the killing curse won't finish you, then I'll just have to try something else," he snarled.

Neville's falcon let out a silent cry and dove forward, looping around Voldemort's head and through him. The Dark Lord did not stop as suddenly as Lucius had, but it was hard to miss his stiffening and sudden inhalation.

"_Expelliarmus_!"Neville shouted, taking advantage of Voldemort's momentary lapse and the evil man's wand flew through the air and landed in Neville's hand, although he winced as it pushed against his broken fingers.

And as Voldemort seemed to realize what happened and rushed forward, Neville snapped the wand in two, just like Harry had done to Bellatrix's. Voldemort continued to rush forward, pushing Neville to the ground and landing on top of him, wicked looking dagger pointed above the boy's neck.

"Let's see you survive this," he whispered, breath fanning over Neville's face and making the boy cringe.

"Or not," snarled a new voice as a dagger plunged into Voldemort's back.

The dark wizard gave a short hiss of pain and turned his attention from Neville to Bill, who was now defenseless since Marlin's dagger was stuck in Voldemort. Voldemort slowly rose, ruby eyes glimmering with hatred. Bill stared, wondering how on earth he was still alive… most people didn't get up and walk away with a knife in their back.

The screaming of several Death Eaters distracted the small group and they all looked up. Several silvery forms were floating around the room – Bill spotted for sure Hermione's otter, a hare, and … a giraffe? – and going through the Death Eater crowd. The stag was prancing around Lucius, joined by a wolf, which was snarling and sort of "biting" the man's leg. The screams were dying off, as the Death Eaters seemed to be dissolving as well, bodies turning to ash and falling to the floor.

The patronuses continued to ravage the Death Eater population, more and more shapes adding to the mix. Bill, having finally understood, concentrated on his own patronus and smiled when an alligator materialized by his side a minute later. Lavender was being helped to her feet by a silvery horse and a small beagle was running around Blaise, tail wagging and tongue lolling.

"What… exactly is going on?" Neville asked as his falcon took off to circle Voldemort once more, the man trying to bat it away with his hands.

"We found a prophecy and I think this is somehow all connected to it," Bill said, watching happily as his alligator slipped off the stage and started to cut through the Death Eaters, who by now were firing off spells at the creatures with no effect whatsoever. "Hermione will probably be able to explain when this is all over and done with."

The screams were growing more faint as more and more of the Death Eaters seemed to dissolve before their eyes, screaming for mercy. No one paid them any attention. The stag had left Lucius to go join Neville's falcon and the wolf was finishing off the older Malfoy, his skin turning more and more ashen.

All too quickly for the dark side, only Lucius and Voldemort were left, both breathing heavily and panic overtaking Lucius' features. The alligator had come back up on the stage and was gnawing off the chains that held the prisoners down before waddling back to Bill's side.

Draco stood slowly as his wolf bounded over, rubbing up against his legs and wagging its huge tail. All of the prisoners grouped together, loyal patronuses by their side. Hannah immediately raced towards Lavender once she was free, offering the girl a shoulder to lean on as the group of humans and spirits encircled Voldemort and Lucius.

"This is where it ends," Neville said, voice strong and his falcon perched on his outstretched arm with Harry's wand. "You lost, Voldemort."

"No," the man rasped, red eyes darting around and looking for his servants. Lucius collapsed next to him as the wolf ventured too close, flesh and bone turning to ash until all that remained were his robes. "No."

"We'll all defeat you," Hermione said, holding hands with Draco, who in turn grabbed Luna's, and so around the circle it went, Neville tentatively holding Bill's with his broken fingers. "We'll all scatter your darkness and let the light back in."

Almost as if on an unspoken command, the patronuses leapt forward onto the man that for so long had struck fear into everyone's hearts and caused despair. And when they cleared, drifting back to their creator's sides, Voldemort was completely gone, only the dagger that had been stuck in his back lying on the ground.

"Did we really just win?" Pansy whispered, helping to support Blaise as they all stared at where Voldemort had been. "Is it over?"

"Yeah," Neville said, just before his legs finally gave out and he started to collapse, only Bill's strong arms preventing him from face-planting into the ground. "It's over."

The stag took that moment to rear back on its hind legs, nodding its regal head, before galloping off the stage and out the doors. All the other patronuses followed.

"Where are they going?" Hannah asked.

"Probably to free the people from the camps," Bill said. "They're still under Death Eater control."

"How did you know all of that, Hermione?" Pansy asked, staring at the Gryffindor girl in wonder.

Hermione laughed and blushed. "I just put it together as everything went along. When Neville lived through the killing curse, I realized he had to be the one the prophecy was talking about."

"Prophecy?" Pansy asked.

"We found out about it from Bill who learned about it through Professor Trelawney… we found it with Dumbledore's… body," she said hesitating on the word, "and I've been thinking about it this whole time. It made several references to a "sickle" and I realized after seeing Harry's patronous that that had to be Neville's—a falcon has sickle shaped wings. Then there was this part about the "song of fire" which was the phoenix-core wand. The only thing I haven't figured out really is the whole bit on the "new town" part it mentioned."

At that Neville chuckled. "That's what my name means in French," he said. "New town."

They were silent for another few seconds, just stuck in the moment, before the emotional toll kicked in. Bill found himself with an armful of Ginny and Fred, his sister sobbing into his shirt and clutching on to him like he'd disappear any minute, and Fred just holding him, silent tears dripping down his face.

Remus and Tonks were hugging and kissing laughing and Dean ran over and swept Luna up in his arms, twirling her around in a wide circle. Pansy was kneeling with Blaise on the ground, hugging him and crying and telling him he'd better never get hurt like this ever again. Hermione and Draco were holding one another, just content to never let go and Lavender and Hannah made their way over to Neville, hugging him gently.

Ginny finally wiped her eyes and beamed up at the ground, arm looped through one of Bill's. "What are we all doing standing around inside here?" she asked. "This is way too dreary for our happy celebration."

And so, laughing and crying and helping their fellows to walk, the group made their way out of the cold stone room, down the corridor and finally to a set of doors that just had to lead outside. Bill and Remus pushed them open, heavy oak giving one last protest, before they opened and the group spilled out.

Cold grass was pressed underfoot and the half-crescent moon glimmered in the sky, casting a comforting silver glow over everything. They rushed around, leaping for joy like children and bathing in the light, smiles lighting up the dark.

Hermione and Draco paused a few feet out the door, hands intertwined and bodies close. Slowly, Draco reached up a hand and ran it through Hermione's hair, pulling her towards him as they shared a kiss underneath the diamond studded sky and their first real taste of freedom.

They'd kept holding on. They'd stayed strong. They'd finally made it through the darkness and into the light. And although there were would be trials and hardships in the future, they would always be there for one another, they would overcome any obstacle. With the love of their friends and family they could do anything.

White would be their world.

**Author's Notes:**

I can't believe it's finished. I'm staring at it and blinking and trying to convince myself that I finally finished a story that wasn't a one-shot. Still staring.

Thank you all for coming with me on this journey, whether you were here since the original version, this new one, or even joined in half-way through. Your support has allowed me to continue writing this: the good, the bad, and the ugly and given me the chance to improve myself as a writer (which, ironically, is why I'm so bad at normal fiction now: because I write it like fanfiction assuming everyone knows exactly who the characters are. Go figure =p)

I'd love to hear from you all for your last review for Black is Our World. Thank you all so much, and happy reading and reviewing in the future.

~Icy


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